the essential
The end-of-year holidays and their family gatherings were conducive to the circulation of seasonal viruses. Starting with those that are transmitted through the air, such as the flu or Covid-19. When returning from vacation, to limit contagion and protect the weakest, surgical masks are required for sick people.
Flu, Covid-19, bronchiolitis, nasopharyngitis… The majority of viruses currently circulating are transmitted through the air. “We can catch them either by aerosol or by droplets, that is to say when someone sneezes or coughs“, recalls Jérôme Marty, doctor at the Saint-Roch clinic in Fronton and president of the independent doctors' union UFML.
Also read:
Covid-19, flu, bronchiolitis… in France, several regions are on epidemic alert and contaminations are on the rise
Parties conducive to the circulation of viruses
During the holidays, interactions increased among family and friends, a period of “population cross” which has amplified epidemics. “Today it's a bit of an apocalypse in emergency centers and in medical offices, where the number of sick people continues to increase. They often have to stay for hours on a stretcher before being taken care of,” testifies the general practitioner.
To limit contagions, the latter calls on those who carry an airborne virus to put a mask over their mouth and nose. “This simply helps to avoid contaminating people. that we have in front of us. These may be fragile, without us knowing it. They may have an immune deficiency or, in the case of the elderly, be polypathological. A virus represents a serious risk of decompensation for the latter.”
How long should you wear the mask?
The ideal is to wear an FFP2 mask, which filters the air in both directions. But a surgical mask does the job perfectlyto the extent that it protects the environment and those around the wearer. The number of days it should be kept on generally corresponds to the duration of the symptoms. That is, 5 to 6 days for the flu, 5 to 10 days for bronchiolitis or 5 to 20 days for nasopharyngitis.
The case of Covid-19 is slightly different. “It’s a fairly vicious disease since you are infectious two days before having the first symptoms. You can therefore transmit it to others without knowing it,” notes Jérôme Marty. Once the first physical alerts of the coronavirus appear, it is necessary, again, 5 to 6 days of mask wearing.
The mask is useless outside
There is no point in putting on a mask when you are alone at home. Or outside, because “the viral load is very low, it is diluted”, specifies the specialist. On the other hand, it is necessary to cover your airways in enclosed places“especially when there are a lot of people.”
So many recommendations which had been applied to the letter by a large majority of the population during the Covid-19 health crisis and which today seem to have been forgotten. “People experienced this period very badly and do not want to remember it. But this ignores what is the basis of our society: protection of the most vulnerable. Putting on the mask is making a gesture for them, altruistic and supportive”, declares Jérôme Marty. And to cite the example of Japan, where the mask is an everyday object, “a country where there is a great respect for the elderly.
The president of the UFML doctors' union deplores that the French health authorities have not communicated for a long time on such a vital subject.
