Name: France warns fabric masks may NOT protect from new Covid variants
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France warns fabric masks may NOT protect from new Covid variants

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 Tuesday, Jan 19th 2021| 139 The French government has warned that cloth face masks may not protect people from new  variants. With two new strains of Covid-19, from the UK and South Africa, confirmed to be in France, the government has begun to amend its guidance on mask-wearing.Although not formally published, 's health advisory council, Haute Conseil de  Santé Publique, has said homemade cloth masks may not be the safest option.Instead, people should stick to wearing professionally-made masks such as disposable surgical masks, or FFP2 filer masks of the kind that have become mandatory in some public places in Germany.  Didier Lepelletier, co-president of the Covid-19 working group of the HCPS, told : 'When it comes to the penetration of certain new variants... which are more contagious... the question is raised of what kind of mask to recommend to the general public.' He went on to explain that while cloth masks are preferred by people because they can be re-used, they did not guarantee an appropriate level of protection against the new Covid variants. The new advice was echoed by France's Health Minister Olivier Véran who said that artisan face coverings made at home do not necessarily provide the necessary guarantees that single-use ones do.One of the main problems identified with homemade cloth masks is that they have not been officially checked and so their level of protection could vary depending on the fabric, thickness and craftmanship used. At present the new guidance on cloth masks is advice rather than a rule in France. However, face coverings are currently compulsory in all indoor public places in France as well as on the streets of around 400 towns and cities. The French government has said that only face masks that fully cover a person's nose and mouth should be worn and people caught wearing masks incorrectly or not at all will be subject to a €135 fine.Types of masks the public have been advised to use are split into two different categories, Category 1 and Category 2.Category 1 masks are those that filter 90 per cent of particles and include single-use surgical masks, FFP2 filter masks and specific fabric that meet the required specifications.While Category 2 masks are those that filter 70 per cent of particles and were advised to the public to be worn last spring.Share what you thinkThe comments below have not been moderated.The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.Post comment to your Facebook TimelineBy posting your comment you agree to our .Submit CommentClearDo you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline?Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. NoYesDo you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline?Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usualWe will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook.You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our .Published by Associated Newspapers LtdPart of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group   

 Tuesday, Jan 19th 2021| 139 The French government has warned that cloth face masks may not protect people from new  variants. With two new strains of Covid-19, from the UK and South Africa, confirmed to be in France, the government has begun to amend its guidance on mask-wearing.Although not formally published, 's health advisory council, Haute Conseil de  Santé Publique, has said homemade cloth masks may not be the safest option.Instead, people should stick to wearing professionally-made masks such as disposable surgical masks, or FFP2 filer masks of the kind that have become mandatory in...

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Sam Baker

Sam Baker For Mailonline

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France warns fabric masks may NOT protect from new Covid variants

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