ANALYSIS
The government prefers to prevent rather than cure. In a few days, the authorities' discourse on wearing the coronavirus mask accelerated from a strong recommendation to an obligation. An evolution of which Jean Castex laid the cornerstone last weekend, during his trip to Guyana, one of the French departments most affected by the Covid-19. He then said: "developing the wearing of a mask is under study". At the same time, a forum signed by 14 doctors put pressure on the executive, asking for a mandatory wearing of the mask in closed public places.
LIVE - Coronavirus: follow the situation Thursday, July 16
The date of August 1 considered too distant
A call visibly heard by Emmanuel Macron, since during his interview of July 14, two days later, he announced a mandatory port in the coming weeks, "for example" from August 1. A date launched as a test, but immediately deemed too distant by many doctors. The Elysée also confesses a small adjustment error and says that the president has taken into account the social demand to go faster.
Finally, while the shadow of a second wave is becoming more and more pressing on the territory, and that a relaxation of the barrier gestures is unanimously noted, Jean Castex announced Thursday the obligation to wear a mask "as soon as next week". For his part, the Minister of Health Olivier Véran appealed to the deputies to "the vigilance and the spirit of responsibility and citizenship of the French", by urging his fellow citizens not to wait for the publication of the decree, which will be according to him "Monday or Tuesday".
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An obligation that raises many questions
A period of a few days is still necessary given the number of questions raised by the obligation. What places are we talking about exactly? What about controls, sanctions? From what age do we apply the measure? A whole series of points not settled at the moment, requiring a real legal work which must be clarified by the beginning of next week.
For the moment, the only certainty seems to be on the type of masks. It will be general public: no question for the government to relaunch a debate on stocks of surgical masks as at the height of the crisis.