INTERVIEW
The subject of the shortage of masks in the midst of the Covid-19 epidemic has continued to agitate France in recent days. In Culture Médias Wednesday on Europe 1, the presenter of the broadcasts "Le magazine de la santé" and "Allô Docteurs" on France 5 Marina Carrère d'Encausse described as "a lie" what could have been said at the beginning of the epidemic compared to the usefulness of masks for the population. A speech emanating in particular from the health authorities, and cheerfully relayed in the media. For her, it was said "knowingly, but because there were not so many other solutions. And it was for a good cause since it was for the nursing staff, to protect the population and the staff caregiver. "
"We prioritized"
"At the time, we prioritized," says Marina Carrère d'Encausse. "Since we did not have enough masks, we cannot say the opposite, we did everything to reserve them for those who needed them most, that is to say the nursing staff."
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For the presenter, this speech was well kept so that "the population does not rush into pharmacies to buy masks".
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"The nursing staff would have had even fewer masks"
"Should we have told the truth exactly? In this case, the nursing staff would have had even fewer masks. So I think that this kind of lie can quite be understood and apologized" , she believes. And to conclude: "After today, I think we, as journalists, must be completely truthful, even if it means being anxiety-provoking because reality today is not necessarily reassuring. But by saying everything we know today, without hiding things. "