Responsible for advising the executive, the Committee recognizes however the “benefit” of a general port of the mask in the face of the triple epidemic that rages in France.
mo12345lemonde with AFP
Faced with the triple epidemic of COVID-19, influenza and bronchiolitis, the health and anticipation committee of health risks (COVARS) recommends “amplify as quickly as possible” barriers and vaccination. In a notice published Monday, December 19, the successor of the Scientific Council to refer the executive in health matters does not decide for or against an obligation to port the mask in clos.
New Covars recommendations were expected in the face of “an active traffic resumption of the Sars-Cov-2, a crossing of the epidemic threshold of the flu and an intense and early bronchiolitis epidemic, as well as in anticipation of the next holidays at the end of the year, source of important intergenerational brewing “.
On the mask, the Committee observes the “very low level of wearing the mask in public transport and other enclosed places” and specifies that “the benefit” of a widespread port in such places “would relate to the three Epidemics in progress “, in his new opinion given to the Ministry of Health and Prevention. The group chaired by immunologist Brigitte Autran does not decide for or against the obligation to carry the mask, but lists the arguments in favor of an obligation (“low efficiency of the mainly recommendation messages”) and on disadvantage (“perception limitation of individual freedoms “).
Holiday vaccination
In “new elements of public decision -making assistance on wearing the mask”, the Committee points to the “critical situation of the hospital”, the loss of efficiency of preventive treatments for certain immunocompromised, the low levels vaccination against covid-19 and flu in populations at risk of often identical risks.
Obligation or not, the Committee recommends “strengthen accessibility/provision freely of masks in all places where they are necessary”, to “limit the cost and to ensure its distribution to all people wishing to use it “.
For vaccination, Covars calls to “intensify” it against COVVI-19 and the flu, with “an incentive and transparent communication intended for the general population”, “a strengthening of communication intended for caregivers on Profits and limits of vaccination reminders “, strong and rapid actions to certain populations, or the reopening of specific centers.
If it has rebounded in recent weeks, autumn anti-Cavid vaccination remains lagging behind, reflecting “difficulties, for the population and certain health professionals, to understand the objectives of these repeated reminders”. However, several recent data “confirm the benefit of the 2 e and 3 e reminders of real life against the symptomatic and severe forms of COVID-19″, underlines the opinion.