While contamination is on the rise again in Europe, many scientists and even the WHO believe that the lifting of health restrictions was too rapid. Last night on M6, Emmanuel Macron did not rule out the idea of a return to the mandatory mask.
“We are observing an epidemic rebound”but “It’s not a surprise. According to the models, this rebound should not have a significant impact on the hospital system”, commented on Wednesday March 23, Gabriel Attal, at the end of the Council of Ministers. However, before calling for a “duty of collective vigilance for the most vulnerable people”.
A day earlier, the WHO had deplored qeu several European countries have lifted their measures too “brutally”. “The countries where we see a particular rise are the UK, Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, France, Italy and Germany”underlined Hans Kluge, director of WHO Europe.
And this all the more so since the BA.2 variant, which is now the majority in France, is even more contagious, even in people already infected in the past.
An opinion shared by many doctors. LMonday on BFM TV, Gilles Pialoux, the head of the infectious and tropical diseases department at the Tenon hospital in Paris pointed out the paradoxical attitude of the health authorities. “There is a paradox between the politician who says: We remove everything, we stop everything, and the campaigns of the Ministry of Health and Public Health France who say to continue to put on the mask to protect the most fragile or to protect themselves. It comes down to individual responsibilities.”
The mask remains “a protective tool against all variants”, had also hammered the same day, Anne-Claude Crémieux, professor of infectious diseases at the Saint-Louis Hospital in Paris.
On Wednesday, epidemiologist Yves Buisson (Covid cell of the Academy of Medicine) encouraged even those most at risk to wear only FFP2 type maskswhile keeping their vaccinations up to date. “We must not delude ourselves that there are not many new admissions to hospital or intensive care admissions: it will happen. We know that there is a gap between the infections, contaminations and unfortunately, the occurrence of complicated forms.”
“If things were to deteriorate, the president that I am would take responsibility”
Wednesday evening, Emmanuel Macron was invited on M6. The opportunity to react to the words of the WHO. “I had a compass: to protect our compatriots. And to do it every time in a proportionate way”he said, before justifying a “common sense” strategy.
#elysee2022 Emmanuel Macron in “Facing the candidates” returns to the health protocol and the wearing of the mask. @xdemoulins@with you#7:45 p.m.pic.twitter.com/iznVGSTyRx
— M6info (@m6info) March 23, 2022
On the question of a possible return of mandatory mask wearingif the situation were to worsen, Emmanuel Macron did not close the door. “We kept the mask in transport because we are packed, we even kept the health pass in the hospital, we launched a recall campaign. If things were to deteriorate, the president that I am would take responsibility.”
Wearing a mask, a common sense measure
In the meantime, caution is probably the best attitude to adopt. If the mask is no longer compulsory, there remains an effective bulwark, advised by Public Health France. In its latest bulletin, the health authority insists on the importance of combined measures: “complete vaccination schedule including the reminder and its second dose in people aged 80 and over, as well as the maintenance of barrier gestures (wearing a mask in spaces poorly ventilated, hand washing, frequent airing of enclosed spaces)”.
In short, if you wish, so depending on your profile (your age and state of health), you can continue to wear a mask when you feel the need for it.ceased. Two indicators are to be taken into account: the number of people and the ventilation of the room. Here are some situations where wearing a mask is recommended:
- In the crowded placeswhere it is difficult to maintain distances (queue at a supermarket, market, theater, for example).
- In places with many people and poorly ventilated (small shop, bakery, small closed meeting room…).
- In places where you are likely to meet sick peopleespecially in pharmacies.
- In the presence of frail or elderly peoplebecause let’s remember, wearing the mask is above all to protect those around you.
Let us recall the places where it remains obligatory:
- Wearing a mask is still compulsory on public transport for all people aged 6 and over.
- If the health situation requires itthe wearing of a mask may be imposed in hospitals and healthcare establishments by the person in charge of the service.
