Masks are no longer systematically mandatory in Parisian public hospitals. The Assistance publique – Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) announced, on Monday, the easing of the mandatory wearing of masks for caregivers and patients on its site. From now on, masks are mandatory for professionals, volunteers and responders (including paramedics) who have "signs of respiratory tract infection", who have "a risk factor for severe form of Covid-19" or who are a "close contact of a case of Covid-19".
Caregivers "in contact with a patient with respiratory tract infection", "immunocompromised", or who work "in a ward receiving patients at risk of severe forms of Covid-19" or affected by "an epidemic of respiratory infections" will also have to maintain these protections.
Patients and visitors at risk keep the mask
The mask also remains mandatory during an "invasive treatment", such as "care on an open wound, a puncture or biopsy, a surgical procedure", or during care "at risk of projection of body fluids", such as intubation or bronchoscopy.
On the side of patients, visitors and accompanying persons, the mask remains mandatory inside the site for people "with signs of respiratory tract infection", "immunocompromised", presenting a "risk of severe form of Covid-19", or being "close contact case of a case of Covid-19".
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This measure is done "in accordance with national recommendations", justifies the AP-HP. But it is already worrying patients at risk. "Until then, it was thought that the hospital would remain a kind of sanctuary for fragile people. Between the reintegration of unvaccinated caregivers and especially the abandonment of the wearing of masks, it is a lot, "reacts to the Parisian Yvanie Caillé, founder of the association Renaloo, which brings together immunocompromised patients.
These recommendations, released Monday, "may be reviewed according to the evolution of viral circulation," says the AP-HP in a statement.