Jean Castex assured him on Sunday from Guyana: the obligation to wear a mask in all enclosed public places is "well under study" . "We warmly recommend it , " insisted Olivier Véran, the Minister of Health. “Should the warm recommendation become an obligation tomorrow? This is under discussion, " he said. The idea gained momentum following a column by several doctors published Saturday in Le Parisien . They are calling for an announcement to this effect to avoid "a possible massive restart of transmissions" . The executive is also under pressure from the opposition on this issue."I am nevertheless surprised to see that the government, according to data, seems to hesitate" , for example deplored the rebellious Éric Coquerel on France Info Monday morning. The deputy said he found at the beginning of summer "this impression of improvisation that we had already before the first confinement" .
Christian Estrosi goes further, and asks the government to make the wearing of the mask mandatory, "including in enclosed outdoor space" . It must be said that the mayor of Nice was pinned for having authorized Saturday the holding of the concert of DJ The Avener at the foot of the Bellanda tower. If Christian Estrosi assures that the authorized gauge of 5,000 people for an outdoor gathering has not been exceeded, the distances between spectators and barrier gestures have not been respected.
Ministers not always exemplary
The question of the compulsory wearing of masks in enclosed spaces should, logically, arise in the televised interview with Emmanuel Macron scheduled for Tuesday, after the ceremonies of July 14 at Place de la Concorde. The head of state already reminded Sunday, on his social networks, that "barrier gestures" were "not an option" in the face of the virus. A call to order for the French, some of whom are slacking their efforts, which also applies ... to members of the government!
During the transfers of power organized after the reshuffle last week, several ministers were criticized for not setting an example. Éric Dupond-Moretti for example took in his arms his predecessor in Justice, Nicole Belloubet. The former Minister of Agriculture, Didier Guillaume, gave him a hug to his successor, Julien Denormandie. The latter had apologized, uncomfortable. "We must repeat that these barrier gestures must be respected (...) I agree, that was not always the case. This is not good, it is not an example to follow, " admitted the Minister of Agriculture in front of a BFM TV camera.
If the Head of State therefore decides to review the doctrine on the question of masks, this would be an important about-face. At the beginning of the epidemic, and in the first days of containment, members of the government took turns to ensure that wearing it was unnecessary. "The French will not be able to buy masks in pharmacies, because it is not necessary if you are not sick," said Sibeth Ndiaye, then government spokesman, on March 17. The Council of State had also retouched the requests of certain mayors who wished to establish their own rules for wearing a mask in their commune.
