What if the mask made its return to the hospital? While an upsurge in Covid-19 cases has been observed in France since the beginning of the summer, the Layné hospital in Mont-de-Marsan now requires its staff, as well as patients and visitors, to wear the surgical mask inside the establishment, report France Bleu Gascogne and Le Parisien.
The measure has been in effect since Friday, August 18 and will last for two weeks, until Saturday, September 2. The situation will then be reassessed and depending on the evolution of the transmission of the virus, the obligation will be extended or stopped.
Layne Hospital is not the only one to have made this decision. That of Arcachon requires the wearing of a surgical mask since Thursday August 10. After a reassessment on Thursday August 17, the measure was extended for a second week, explains Sud-Ouest.
Could wearing a mask become compulsory in all hospitals in France? “We will see depending on the epidemic situation,” replied Aurélien Rousseau, Minister of Health, on France Inter this Saturday. “Today, the lifts are localized, the increase in passages in hospital services is measured,” he tempered.
“The question is first posed to healthcare teams in hospitals. These are measures that will have to be banal: we will wear the mask in the hospital, in the metro when we have symptoms, I hope during questions to the government in the Assembly…”, added the Minister of Health .
In the Landes and more generally in the Southwest, the number of positive cases for Covid-19 has exploded, in particular because of the Bayonne celebrations, for which 1.3 million people gathered.
A resurgence that is not surprising. First, because the many gatherings organized during the summer promote transmission. Then, because the sub-variant of Omicron Eris, from its scientific name EG.5.1, is essential in France, the United States and Asia. The World Health Organization has classified it as a “to be continued” subvariant. Faced with this upsurge, the state services are “not worried” and remain “in a vigilant posture” indicated the General Directorate of Health on Friday August 11.
