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Covid-19: Off with the masks!

April 7th is a historic day: China, the first country affected by COVID-19, lifted the decision to confine the city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the epidemic just weeks ago and which is now resuming normal life. Lights decorate the city while trains and planes are up and running (with 55,000 reservations) along with restaurants. This is a first episode of the victory over the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Elsewhere, notably in countries of Europe and North America, such as France and Canada, people are still discussing whether wearing a mask is effective or ineffective. This recalls the casuistic discussions from the Middle Ages about the existence of the devil and the form it takes!

This mask affair is full of lessons. Officials in industrialized nations first discouraged the population from wearing masks because they are "useless". Days later, French leaders of one such country encouraged wearing masks because they are ... "useful"! China's leaders never showed any such vacillation.

This pandemic will have helped to unmask leaders who do not have the right priorities. What this waffling betrays is that these countries are ill-prepared to face COVID-19 and future pandemics. Unless, of course, they fundamentally change their economic and political systems, putting people at the centre of their priorities. People, not money.

Benyounès

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