“Please, we put the masks back on,” insists the Minister of Health, insisting on the fact that this simple gesture remains the best defense against contagion with the flu virus.
The flu epidemic is suddenly intensifying in all French regions. Health authorities such as Public Health France predict an epidemic peak precisely for the week of December 22 to 28, around the Christmas holidays. The acceleration of the flu and the emergence of the K variant (a mutation of the influenza A H3N2 strain) raise fears of strong tensions in hospitals already in demand, making the situation particularly critical as family gatherings approach.
In this context, the Minister of Health, Stéphanie Rist, toughened her tone on Wednesday on BFMTV by explicitly asking the French to be even more careful at the end of the year. “Please, let’s put the masks back on“, she launched, insisting on the fact that this simple gesture remains the best protection against the contagion of the flu virus. Concretely, she strongly invites people to wear a mask in enclosed and busy places (shopping centers, supermarkets, museums), public transport (metro, buses, trains, planes) and as soon as the first symptoms of a cold appear (cough, sore throat, fever). The minister summarizes this strategy with a civic approach: “I am sick or I am in a risky place = I put on my mask“. Although she recognizes that this speech “doesn’t please anyone“, the minister recalled that it is everyone’s duty to protect the most vulnerable by respecting the 3 pillar barrier gestures: wearing a mask, regular hand washing, regular ventilation of rooms.
During her intervention, the minister specifically addressed the issue of the K variant to justify increased vigilance. This new variant is described as more “robust” and more transmissible. However, she wanted to be reassuring: at this stage, there is no reason to be worried, especially since the current vaccine works on the K variant. Although it does not prevent contamination or transmission, it protects against serious forms.
The mask had until now remained a general recommendation. Today it is once again becoming the central pillar of government communication to avoid more restrictive measures. For your information, since mid-November, wearing a mask has once again become compulsory for anyone (staff, patients, visitors) entering health and medico-social establishments (hospitals, EHPADs). By combining this obligation in healthcare settings with an urgent call for good citizenship in public spaces, the ministry hopes to break the chain of transmission before New Year’s Eve.
