Anticipating deconfinement, several town halls and communities of communes ordered masks. Only problem: distribution, which should not endanger the health of citizens.
It’s a small object that everyone tears off. A so-called “alternative” mask, made of fabric, washable several times at 60 °. It differs from the famous FFP2 and other surgical masks, reserved for caregivers. If for a while the Ministry of Health had ruled that it was not essential, the Academy of Medicine, it assured on April 3 that the wearing of the piece of cloth was imperative at the end of confinement.
All-round controls
” It is true that the messages were a little contradictory … I am not a scientist but I listen, I read. I remember that these masks prevent your postlets from being distributed to others. So it can protect “Explains the mayor of Vauvert, Jean Denat. Through the community of communes of Petite Camargue, 28,000 masks (*) – at a rate of 3 euros per unit – were ordered from the company Éminence.
La Petite Camargue was not the only one wanting to equip itself. On the front, the elected officials ordered in all directions: 270,000 requested by Nîmes Métropole from Éminence, 700,000 by the city of Nîmes, ordered from a company in Haute-Savoie, 20,000 for the municipality of Bagnols, 20,000 for that of Beaucaire or 10,000 for Grau-du-Roi…
A doctor by profession, the mayor of Grau-du-Roi, Robert Crauste, believes that the mask is an element ” useful “ and above all, that in case of non-order “We could be blamed for it. So far, no municipality has received masks. Suddenly, local elected officials are playing their networks, hoping to find equipment more quickly. ” It’s complicated, we are told in early May “, Informs the mayor of Vauvert when his counterpart of Saint-Gilles, Eddy Valadier, tables on a delivery”mid may“, Or after the containment was lifted.
What does the state do?
Monday evening in his speech, the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, said that the wearing of the mask would not be mandatory. However, ” for the most exposed professions or in certain situations such as in public transport, its use could become systematic. At the same time, the head of state promised to help the mayors to “ allow each French, from May 11, to obtain a mask for the general public. “
When questioned, the Gard prefecture has not yet received any instructions from the Government. ” We do not know if financial assistance is possible nor do we know how to distribute the masks “Reports Yoann Gillet, director of cabinet of Beaucaire. In anticipation, the communities have released their check book. The city of Bagnols paid € 30,000 to a company in Haute-Loire, to the Habicap territory company as well as to the Gard rhodanien mask designer network. Same for Beaucaire who paid € 60,000 for his 20,000 masks.
Certain smaller municipalities are organized with their intercommunality: ” In Moussac, the Country of Uzès ordered for us 1,800 masks at 2 euros each (excluding tax) “, Testifies the mayor Frédéric Salle-Lagarde. In all, 35,000 washable masks will be sold to the municipalities for 50% of the price. Purchases that are not always easy underlines Jean-Luc Chapon, president of the Country of Uzès: ” The perception is that you only pay when you have received the goods. However, suppliers ask to pay 50% when ordering. It was therefore necessary to find suppliers who accept the conditions imposed on the community. ” It was not easy “Blows the elected official, keeping a tooth against the tax services,” that don’t make it easy for us. “
How to distribute them?
The elected officials hope that their order will arrive as soon as possible: “ After deconfinement, it will be more difficult to distribute them, people returning to work and not necessarily at home “Points out Jean Denat. It remains to be seen how to distribute this equipment? President Emmanuel Macron said that ” details of the organization of daily life “Would be known within 15 days, including via a post-May 11 plan presented by the government.
The challenge of distribution is twofold: to equip citizens by avoiding large gatherings. On the ground, the mayors are already anticipating. ” A group of elected turbine to know how to distribute them “, Says Jérôme Talon, director of cabinet of Bagnols. In the Alpes-Maritimes, Cannes started distributing to merchants by appointment at the town hall and sending them by The post office, to fragile people.
” PSeveral scenarios are possible, such as bringing people to the town hall with their identity papers. “, Explains the director of cabinet of Beaucaire. ” Personally, I would recommend that people be able to come with an electricity receipt to withdraw them “, concludes Jean-Luc Chapon, mayor of Uzès. Disparate solutions with the same objective: protect our health.
Coralie Mollaret with Thierry Allard
* 28,000 masks for all five municipalities in the Petite Camargue community of municipalities.
And also :
The company Eminence reports that 170,000 washable textile masks have been delivered since the first day of production in Aimargues. For the time being, 2.5 million masks have been ordered to be delivered until the end of June.
The City of Nîmes will receive the masks ” by sequence ” from May. Currently, a working group bringing together several departments is working to define the most operational organization for the distribution of masks in this totally ” unpublished.”
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