Geneva (AFP)
Cloth masks are still as effective as ever, even in the face of newer variants of the coronavirus, because the mode of transmission is the same, the WHO said on Friday, which does not plan to change its recommendations.
"Fabric masks, non-surgical, can be used by all people under the age of 60 who do not have particular health problems," said the person in charge of managing the pandemic at the World Health Organization. health, Maria Van Kerkhove.
"In areas where the virus is circulating, masks should be worn when people are crowded together and it becomes impossible to stand at least a meter away from each other, as well as in poorly or poorly ventilated rooms." , she added at a press conference.
Germany and Austria have just imposed medical masks (surgical or FFP2) in shops and transport.
The French government is asking for its part to no longer use certain fabric masks, including homemade ones, considered insufficiently filtering in the face of the appearance of new, more contagious variants of the coronavirus.
"Countries are free to take the measures they deem necessary", continued Maria Van Kerkhove.
However, even with variants which can be more contagious, "we have no indication suggesting that the mode of transmission would have changed", argued the person in charge of the management of the pandemic at the WHO.
That is why, she explained, with regard to the recommendations in force, "we do not intend to modify them at this stage".
© 2021 AFP