“The situation is no longer sustainable”: patient associations want the return of the mandatory mask against Covid-19

Will the new wave of Covid-19 lead to the return of the mandatory use of masks? This is the wish of twelve patient associations, who believe in a column published in the parisian that “the situation is no longer tenable”. Now more than 55,000 positive cases are registered every day on average, and the incidence rate in France is 583… well above the alert threshold set at 50.

With influenza and bronchiolitis, the fear of a “triple epidemic” is real. “Our hospital system, which could be overwhelmed, on the eve of the end of the year holidays,” warn the signatories.

For several days now, the government has changed its tune, increasing calls for individual and collective responsibility. Before the deputies at the end of November, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne even launched a “solemn appeal” to postpone the mask on public transport as well as “and in contact with fragile people”.

“Let’s protect each other”

But these calls “have a very limited effectiveness,” lament the associations. “It is evident that the use of masks continues to be a minority, on transport, in community pharmacies, or even in crowded stores in December, in generally insufficient ventilation conditions”, can be read in the rostrum.

“Given its seriousness and its challenges, our associations demand that the use of a mask be made mandatory again in areas of great promiscuity”, affirm the twelve signatory organizations.

“The mask is sometimes painful to wear and it certainly fogs up the glasses. But today, this tool, the usefulness of which has been demonstrated, should help reduce the pressure on health facilities and the professionals who work there, ”he says.

“Let’s protect the hospital. Let’s protect the patients. Let’s protect the caregivers. Let’s protect the most vulnerable among us. , FFAAIR, Seropotes, Networkedpatients, Renaloo and RoseUp.

Asked about the issue at the beginning of December, the Minister of Health, François Braun, indicated that he would restore the use of the mandatory mask “depending on the evolution of the situation.” But the measure is far from unanimous among the French.