“In Switzerland, stocks of masks have been …

Eric Bonvin, this week, L’Illustré produced a dossier on masks, stating that Switzerland did not have enough masks by far at the start of the crisis for all healthcare personnel. Several readers ask us if this is Switzerland’s greatest shortcoming in the management of this pandemic for the moment.

Two weeks ago, the consumption of surgical masks was estimated at one million per day while ensuring their sparing use, especially in hospitals. If each inhabitant of the country used a mask per day, that would represent an annual consumption of nearly 3.5 billion masks. Switzerland certainly had supply problems about two weeks ago. But while stocks have been depleted, they have never been depleted. In the meantime, the Confederation has found new sources of supply and this problem seems to be resolved.

Has the Valais Hospital suffered from a shortage of masks for its healthcare staff since the start of the pandemic?

The problem we encountered two weeks ago was that of a risk of out of stock within seven days. Thanks to the sparing use of masks, professionals have always had enough to do their job while respecting the professional recommendations of Swissnoso. Fortunately, the hard work of our central purchasing office to replenish our stocks has enabled us to obtain sufficient stocks for the coming weeks. It should also be noted that we publish the state of our stocks of protective equipment daily for the benefit of our personnel so that they are kept informed of the situation.

Every day, we use nearly 6,200 so-called “surgical” masks daily, the simplest model, and just over 300 FFP2 masks with high filtering capacity for riskier situations and in intensive care.

How many masks are used every day at the Valais Hospital?

We use nearly 6,200 so-called “surgical” masks daily, the simplest model, and just over 300 FFP2 masks with high filtering power in riskier situations and in intensive care.

Several readers who see that other countries are having their people wear the mask believe that Switzerland says not to wear them simply because it does not want to admit that it does not have enough. What can you answer them?

There is currently a lot of discussion at the international level as to the relevance or not of such a measure. As a precautionary measure with regard to the most fragile people, our hospitals have just decided to widen the wearing of the mask in their enclosure. However, it should be remembered that wearing a mask is not a healthy person’s way of protecting themselves from infection, but only that a contagious person spreads fewer germs around them. Then wearing the mask can be dangerous if it is not handled with caution, since it inevitably requires touching your face, which is a risky gesture. Its handling therefore requires compliance with certain rules of hygiene, such as not touching it with the hands without having washed or disinfected it when it is put in place, removed and throughout its use, so as not to contaminate neither the hands nor the mask.

As a precaution with regard to the most fragile people, our hospitals have just decided to widen the wearing of the mask in their enclosure.

You have allowed the mask to be used for eight hours straight. Is it true ?

During the period requiring greater parsimony in the use of masks, we allowed a period of use up to eight hours in a row, but strictly respecting these hygiene instructions. In summary, if the mask reduces the contagious load that an infected person emits, wearing it is not the most reliable protection measure. We cannot say it enough, it is the combination of social distance and hand washing that is by far the most effective protective measure.

Finally, what are the figures for this Saturday at the Valais Hospital?

Today we have 128 patients hospitalized at our home including 23 in intensive care. Of the 268 Valais patients suffering from Coronavirus hospitalized since the start of the pandemic, 93 have come out sufficiently recovered to return home. (note: 29 out of 51 deaths occurred in the Hospital).