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Coronavirus: flip-flop from the United States on the usefulness of masks (and scarves)

2020-04-01T21:42:26.945Z



After having advised against the generalized wearing of masks, the American government changes its tone and plans to recommend homemade masks to everyone in order to contain the epidemic of Covid-19, following belatedly the example of Asian and European countries.

Read also: Coronavirus: the United States struck at the heart

The reason? Many people are contagious without knowing it. If they wore a mask, it would mechanically reduce transmissions. "It is now confirmed that a large number of infected people remain asymptomatic," said director of the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Robert Redfield, on NPR radio. "Maybe up to 25%," he said, referring to studies taking stock of the epidemic in China.

The new coronavirus is very contagious, much more than the seasonal flu. It is obviously transmitted when sick people sneeze and cough, but probably also by droplets of saliva splashed out or left unknowingly by contaminated people on doorknobs, railings and other surfaces in public places , in buildings or at home.

President Donald Trump has rallied to the idea that we should now protect our mouths and noses in public. "You just have to use a scarf," he said at the White House on Tuesday (he hasn't done it himself yet). "Use a scarf instead of using a mask".

The official recommendation of the American CDC has not changed: the mask is only recommended for sick and healthy people caring for the sick. But this instruction will certainly evolve, confirmed the highest health officials in the country.

The White House crisis cell on the coronavirus has "very active discussions" on the subject, said Tuesday Anthony Fauci, the director of the Institute of Infectious Diseases, who became during this pandemic the most listened to scientist of the executive.

He acknowledged that the initial hesitation was not based on a scientific argument but on the shortage of masks: the United States, like France and others, did not and still do not have enough for their needs. nursing staff, and a fortiori for the entire population.

“But once we have enough masks, it will be seriously considered to broaden the recommendation on wearing masks. We are not there yet, but I understand that we are close to such a conclusion, "said Anthony Fauci, on CNN.

According to the Washington Post, the authorities could recommend masks in fabrics and craft, in order to reserve the masks of medical quality to the caregivers.

Don't touch your face

Two studies published Wednesday by the American CDC describe in detail a series of contaminations by infected people but without symptoms.

One concerns Singapore, where the authorities have traced the routes of several patients and discovered seven “clusters” triggered by “presymptomatic” people: people have contaminated their spouses or a roommate; a woman contaminated a couple sitting behind her at the church; another infected a woman during her singing lessons. In general, contamination took place one to three days before the onset of symptoms.

And in the United States, half of the residents of a Washington State retirement home who had a positive diagnosis of coronavirus did not show symptoms at the time of the test (they were therefore not isolated and probably contaminated by other residents).

In China, Hong Kong or Singapore, nobody goes out without a mask on the street. In the Czech Republic and Slovenia, they are now compulsory.

Many sew homemade masks. In France, doctors advise it to the general public, and tutorials flourish.

The challenge will be to get the message across that the mask alone does not dispense with barrier gestures and rules of social distancing. The streets of New York are currently showing that this challenge is surmountable: masked pedestrians seem to be extra vigilant to stay away from their peers.

The chief of emergency medicine at Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore, Gabe Kelen, told AFP that he still fears a shortage for his caregivers. But he recognizes that "there could be an interest in preventing contamination".

"For now, we can use a homemade mask to cover our face in public, if only to keep ourselves from touching our face after touching surfaces," says another expert, Brandon Brown, from University of California at Riverside.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2020-04-01

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