Philippe Dumas, director of research at the Institute of Genetics and Molecular Biology, was one of the first to advocate the general wearing of masks and initiated a petition to this effect. He says that if schools reopen on May 11, children will have to wear these protections.
- Wearing a mask is now recognized as an effective protection against contamination by SARS-CoV-2
- Philippe Dumas who had launched a petition to generalize this wearing of the mask affirms that the children will have to wear them to return to school
- He asks that the manufacture of artisanal masks be facilitated everywhere
“What forbids them to wear it? It can even amuse them, as if they were going to the carnival!”. Philippe Dumas is ready to develop all the arguments to achieve what he thinks is a necessity, the wearing of masks for children when schools reopen. This research director at the Institute of Genetics and Molecular Biology, initiator of a petition for the generalization of this protection against contamination by SARS-CoV-2, has been leading a real “campaign” since the start of the epidemic to this wearing of the mask by the greatest number.
Today, the official message on this issue has radically changed, which Philippe Dumas is delighted with, but regrets the time lost: “Why have you discredited the use of masks by the population in this way?” it again. And he also observes that “industrialists do not have the capacity to produce all the necessary masks” and that the priority of professional equipment must always be given to caregivers, to all those who are in contact with the sick and to people the most fragile.
Produce handmade masks in all possible ways
As a consequence of this situation, the need to facilitate the production of so-called “general public” or artisanal masks. And in every way possible, according to Philippe Dumas: “We must relax the administrative rules so that all the structures which can manufacture them are encouraged and helped”, he explains, hoping that these manufactures be organized by the local authorities which can instead of depending on a centralized production plan. “We must relocate these productions”, he insists, saying he is ready to advise those who are going to embark on this artisanal production to increase the protective power of this equipment. And he even gives them his trick: soak a fabric membrane in cooking salt and let it crystallize.
Below, the interview of Philippe Dumas by Dr. Jean-François Lemoine:
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