Macron makes mask-wearing an act of national pride
PARIS (AP):
WITH A face mask 100 per cent made in France, President Emmanuel Macron showed the famously fashionable French people Tuesday that civic responsibility and style are not mutually exclusive.
Macron used a visit to a primary school to promote the type of cloth masks that will be de rigueur on public transportation and other locations when France starts emerging from its coronavirus lockdown next week.
The dark blue version Macron wore while visiting the school west of Paris complemented his tie and blue suit, and came embellished on one side with ribbon detail in red, white and blue, the colours of the French flag.
The French presidency said the mask, designed specifically to protect the public from the virus, was produced by knitwear manufacturer, Chanteclair, and retails for €4.92 ($5.34.) The French military tested the garment’s breathability and effectiveness in filtering out small particles, the presidency said.
While some world leaders have been worried about the optics of being seen while masked, Macron previously appeared at public events in surgical masks, both thin ones and heavier strength models.
‘WHO IS IT?’
At the primary school, a child asked “Who is it?”when the president entered a classroom. Macron briefly lifted his cloth mask to reveal his face, then pulled the covering back into place.
He later joked about needing to use hand sanitiser because he touched the mask, which he was not supposed to do.
Macron’s government has been widely criticised for having an inconsistent policy on the civilian use of face masks during the coronavirus pandemic. When the virus first reached Europe, industrial grade masks were requisitioned by the French state and aimed at health workers only.