Coronavirus in France: criticized on the shortage of masks, the government defends itself

Text by: RFI Follow

Hospitals don't have enough, neither do city doctors, many exposed workers are forced to work without protection. Masks are lacking in France and this shortage is causing many criticisms of inventory management and deliveries. The government is forced to defend itself.

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The government is playing a defense on the issue of the supply of masks. Even the priority health personnel do not have enough of them. This shortage is increasingly criticized. These criticisms were raised this Thursday, March 19 to the Senate and the National Assembly, during debates on the health emergency bill and questions to the government.

The parliamentarians of all the oppositions on the right as on the left for example pointed out the deficiencies of the supply and relayed the anger of the medical personnel , but also of all exposed workers.

► Read also: Beginning of controversy over the shortage of coronavirus protective masks

Previous mismanagement

Faced with these criticisms, government communication has evolved. After having initially advised against wearing the mask presented as useless in most cases and even dangerous if it was misused, the ministers began to denounce the theft of masks, observed even in hospitals. And to question the lack of available stocks at the start of the crisis, due to previous mismanagement following the H1N1 flu epidemic in 2011.

This is how the Minister of Health Olivier Véran or government spokesperson Sibeth Nidiaye explained this shortage on Thursday. Both assured that all the means of production were now mobilized.

► Also read: Coronavirus info: masks, their stocks, their usefulness and how to use them

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