43% of French people do not wear a mask if they have symptoms, 7% never wash their hands

According to the CoviPrev survey by Public Health France published this Tuesday, October 15, more than 4 in ten French people never wear a mask “even in the event of symptoms, in the presence of vulnerable people or in busy places”.

Be careful of the circulation of Covid. While health authorities have been calling for the return of barrier gestures since the end of September, a study by Public Health France revealed this Tuesday, October 15 that “the low adoption of mask wearing is confirmed again” in 2024.

“And this in all circumstances, even in the event of symptoms, in the presence of vulnerable people or in busy places”, we can read in the results sheet of the latest CoviPrev survey.

In detail, 43% of participants say they never wear a mask, including in these risky situations. In addition, almost one in ten French people (7%) say they never wash their hands with soap or hydroalcoholic gel.

Men respect barrier gestures less than women

“On average, whatever the barrier gesture concerned, the proportion of respondents declaring never respecting them was higher among men, people in a situation of inactivity, people opposed to vaccination in general, people declaring not be at risk of a severe form of Covid-19, as well as people residing in rural areas”, details Public Health France.

Conversely, only 29% of respondents said they wear a mask often (16%) or systematically (13%) in the event of symptoms, fragile people or in busy places.

“For more than half of respondents, the intentions to maintain barrier gestures or to increase their adoption next winter are mainly motivated by the return of a new Covid-19 epidemic,” notes Public Health France.

A new vaccination campaign against Covid, but also the flu, will begin this Tuesday, October 15 and target in particular French people aged 65 and over and people at risk of serious illness. If vaccines lose effectiveness over time against infections, they remain very protective against serious forms, insist the health authorities.

Furthermore, certain adults (immunocompromised people, 65 years and over at risk) can also benefit from specific antiviral treatment, recalled SpF. If, since May 2023, the World Health Organization no longer considers the pandemic a global health emergency, it regularly reminds that SARS-CoV-2 “continues to circulate and evolve”.