Coronavirus: opticians set up a minimum service for emergencies

From this Wednesday, March 25, a minimum optical care service will be deployed in France. Organized on a voluntary basis, it will help individuals in the event of an emergency (broken or lost glasses, renewal of unsuitable equipment on presentation of a new prescription, etc.). Nursing and on-call personnel, who work in sectors essential to the economic activity of our country, will be supported as a priority.

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This minimum service, validated by the Ministry of Health, was organized in a few days on the initiative of all the professional optics unions. It covers almost all the departments. From this Wednesday, he ensures access to an optician at least one morning per week, from 9 am to 1 pm.

A total of 350 opticians are open, accessible only by appointment. The list of stores and their contact details are available on the site urgenceopticien.fr. “We had a duty of responsibility in the current health crisis , explains André Balbi, president of the ROF (Rassemblement des opticiens de France). We organized ourselves to face it. It is a first in our sector. ”

Security equipment

ROF warns that this minimum service will be subject to strict security procedures. "Only opticians with safety equipment, able to implement barrier gestures and having benefited from information on safety rules and on the use of gloves and masks have been listed," specifies André Balbi. Of the 700 volunteers in France, only 350 had the masks, gloves and hydroalcoholic gel essential for minimum service during the coronavirus crisis.

Opticians should not come into contact with more than five people per day. They will also have to disinfect the frames, glasses and equipment, and welcome patients one by one. The ROF warns that after two weeks, opticians cannot continue this service without providing equipment. They call on the public authorities to equip them with masks and other protective equipment so that they can continue this "mission" throughout the confinement period.