Headlines: state lie

Audio 05:05

By: Frédéric Couteau Follow

Publicity

We suspected oversights, shortcomings, errors in the public management of coronavirus protective masks. It is worse, there has been a lie ... Revelation this morning of Liberation : the executive has knowingly hidden the truth.

Indeed, the newspaper said, "  for weeks, the government did everything to hide it. (…) We all see Jérôme Salomon, the director general of health, or Sibeth Ndiaye, the government spokesperson, asserting with confidence from the first days of the health crisis that there was no need for a mask because , they said, 'it is useless' if one is not a caregiver, that is to say in direct contact with the disease. Let us be clear , Liberation points : it is human to be wrong, even to sacrifice one need for the benefit of another, considered to be a higher priority; after all, the whole world has been groping since the start of this crisis. But then it must be explained, and above all assume it.

Lying knowingly to hide a breach is not acceptable, exclaims Liberation. If our investigation , continues the newspaper, confirms that the previous government has its share of responsibility in the low stocks of masks available, it is also overwhelming for the current authorities, both political and health. She clearly points out the role of Jérôme Salomon in this fiasco, but also those of Agnès Buzyn, the former Minister of Health and Olivier Véran, his successor. These faults also weaken Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who is still pointing to Liberation, while the latter is presenting this Tuesday the plan that will make possible the gradual deconfinement of the population from May 11. A plan which, to be successful and avoid leading to a new wave of contamination, must imperatively provide… masks and tests in sufficient numbers, which has not yet been achieved. If he wants to convince, Liberation concludes , the Prime Minister must be precise and reassuring, but also recognize the mistakes of his government.  "

Masks and grimaces ...

For La Dépêche du Midi , this case of masks “  has a lot to tear away from us. (...) Fortunately, this 'masquerade' will also give us the opportunity to smile, positive the newspaper. Because, in a few days, in a few weeks, this country which is used to self-flagellating, has shown multiple and unexpected resources. How many companies, industrialists, wonders La Dépêche du Midi, were able to immediately react and make these sleeves? And how many agile-fingered grandmothers, amateur tailors, unemployed solidarity workers, handymen, started sewing machines to help neighbors, relatives, workers, residents of the village nursing home , volunteer? So yes, behind our mask, we have a few reasons to be upset. So thank you to those who can make us smile.  "

Better than nothing...

Yes, but question asked by Le Monde : "  Are homemade masks effective against coronavirus?"  "Journal response, in the form of a cold shower:"  the most extensive studies on the subject show that these masks do not protect those who wear them from the virus. There is also no scientific proof of their effectiveness as regards the risk of contaminating the environment, because these masks are not at all equivalent to FFP2 or surgical masks. So, wonders Le Monde, should we abandon them? While there is a lack of masks in France, some specialists consider that these face protections are better than nothing . "Indeed, specifies Le Monde ,"  to choose between nothing and the wearing of an artisanal mask, the latter could still have virtues, in particular to limit the diffusion of secretions on the part of patients who can contaminate other people. Provided you take it for what it is and do not forget to respect other health regulations.  "

May 11: will we be ready?

So, it is this afternoon that Edouard Philippe will unveil, before the deputies, the modalities of the deconfinement ... "  The after-May 11: a huge issue,  " exclaims Le Parisien. "While the company will raise its curtain in less than two weeks, all of France is waiting to know the rules of deconfinement. How to leave home, work, live without relaunching the epidemic? (…) The two pillars of the plan are known: detect and isolate. The government is betting on 500,000 to 700,000 weekly tests. Without forgetting the 17 million masks for the general public, soon to be produced each week (for a total of 26 million with imported copies) and now on sale in pharmacies.

And then ?, wonders Le Parisien. Then, it is the unknown, especially since if the number of patients decreases, the situation in hospitals remains tense. 28,055 patients are still hospitalized and 23,293 people have died since the start of the epidemic. So the same question haunts the minds: will we be ready?  "

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