Masks: 38% of French people say they do not want to wear them in business

The start of the new school year is accompanied by new health measures to fight against the epidemic resumption of coronavirus. Wearing a mask in the company, compulsory from 1^er September, is one of them and it is far from unanimous. According to a survey, carried out among 4.5 million people between August 17 and 21 by the QAPA recruitment platform, 38% of French people do not want to wear a mask in their company.

61% of French people will follow health guidelines imposed by their management

The question of wearing a mask divides employees. In detail of the 38% who say they refuse to wear it, “they are more than 12% to refuse this protection if it is not compulsory and more than 26% who will not follow the port imposed by the State from the 1^er Septembernotes QAPA. However, despite this opposition, 62% of French people will wear a mask in their society : 36% will do it by obligation and 25% will do it voluntarily.” The obligation to wear a mask for all is not possible for 58% of employees.

Beyond employees, companies are far from ready for the start of the school year. “Thus, 11% of French people declare that no health protocol has been put in place and 28% do not know if this is the case.notes QAPA. Only 61% of French people will have to follow specific directives imposed by their management for their return to work.” This return to school is accompanied by increased fear among employees in the face of the risk of contamination while the epidemic rebound affects the whole territory. More than 56% of those questioned fear returning to work and thus increasing the risk of being contaminated by the virus.

Telecommuting recommended

In addition to the mask, physical distancing, imposed with the deconfinement protocol, remains the rule. In theory, workers will have to keep their distance. In fact, the survey reveals that more than 66% say that keeping more than one meter between people present in their company is completely impossible to apply correctly.

The new health measures at work which apply from 1^er September are intended to stem the resumption of the epidemic. Wearing a mandatory mask in closed and shared spaces is the flagship measure. This will be mandatory even if a plexiglass pane is present between two workers and even if the distances between two offices are significant. This measure is justified by doubts about the spread of the virus by aerosols. However, this does not apply for individual offices where the mask will only be mandatory if a second person will be present. Teleworking is not imposed but continues to be recommended. “We have invited the social partners to think about establishing telework in a sustainable way as a new way of organizing work, and also to think about adaptations in times of epidemic peak.”, announced Laurent Pietraszewski, the Secretary of State in charge of health at work and pensions, at the time of the announcement of these measures.