Paris (AFP)
For more than a year, the mask has been one of the symbols of the Covid-19 crisis.
From "unnecessary" to everyone at the start of the epidemic, it became compulsory everywhere for months.
From Thursday, the French will now be able to do without it outdoors.
Caregiver priority
At the start of the epidemic, the message from the health authorities is clear: the masks are intended for caregivers and patients with Covid-19.
"It is really a rare commodity, a precious resource for caregivers, and totally useless for anyone in the street," said the Director General of Health Jérôme Salomon on March 18, 2020, the day after the start of the first confinement.
For the early promoters of its widespread use, this discourse, in France as in other Western countries, is above all intended to prevent the general public from monopolizing surgical masks - the only ones then available and of which health professionals are sorely lacking.
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In mid-June 2020, before the commission of inquiry of the National Assembly, Jérôme Salomon justified himself, assuring that for the general public, France had "always followed international recommendations", in particular from the World Health Organization ( WHO).
The latter still recommends today to reserve the wearing of surgical masks to certain categories: caregivers, patients, people at risk, over 60 years.
Flip-flop and "general public" masks
Over the weeks, the discourse changes, reinforced by the fact that a significant proportion of infected people develop few symptoms, if any.
But there are still tensions over this coveted product.
So at the end of March 2020, the government is promoting the production of alternative masks, in fabric, with standards for the manufacture and use of these masks for the general public.
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And on May 11, date of the first deconfinement, the mask becomes mandatory in public transport and colleges, and recommended in shops.
"Scientists have themselves evolved", and now judge the wearing of the mask "preferable in many circumstances", justifies Edouard Philippe, then Prime Minister.
But some are already advocating going further and including all the public space.
Concerns and expanded obligation
The WHO then recommends that the general public wear a mask when transmission is generalized and physical distancing is difficult, such as in public transport, shops or other closed or busy environments.
At the beginning of the summer of 2020, while several countries widen the compulsory wearing of the mask, calls to do the same in France are multiplying in the face of the observed relaxation of the French.
And finally Emmanuel Macron announces that the mask will be mandatory "in all enclosed public places", such as shops.
The measure comes into force on July 20, with a fine of 135 euros for offenders.
Quickly, some municipalities made the mask compulsory in city centers.
The Minister of Health Olivier Véran then indicates that similar decisions could also be taken locally by the prefects.
In view of the complexity of the situation, with sometimes compulsory wearing in certain streets and not in others, the obligation is generalized in many municipalities.
As in Paris where the rectangle of fabric or polypropylene becomes mandatory in all public spaces on August 28.
Since last summer, the rules have changed little, as France faced a second and then a third wave of the epidemic.
Easing
In recent weeks, with the epidemic slowing down and vaccination accelerating, calls to put the mask on the outside have multiplied.
Especially since for many scientists, this measure was above all psychological, since contaminations mainly take place in closed environments.
The government has finally decided to move in this direction, not without yet another round of contradictory signals issued this week.
While Jérôme Salomon's remarks on Monday aroused many hopes of the end of wearing masks outdoors on July 1, the Minister of Health was quick to ensure that no decision was taken.
"In the coming weeks, wearing a mask remains the rule as it has been set, there is no need to change it", also insisted Olivier Véran Tuesday.
On Wednesday, based on a health situation which "is improving faster than we had hoped", Prime Minister Jean Castex finally announced the lifting of the obligation to wear a mask outdoors on Thursday, except in certain situations ( gatherings, crowded places, queues, markets ...).
Because without a mask, you always have to keep your distance, even outside.
© 2021 AFP