Top French Health Official Accused of Role in Mask Shortage at Pandemic Onset - Lawmaker

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th December, 2020) � The upper house of the French Parliament has said that Director-General of Health (DGS) Jerome Salomon was responsible for mask shortage in the country at the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic, President of The Republicans group in the French Senate Bruno Retailleau told Europe 1 broadcaster on Thursday.

According to the Senate commission of inquiry into the COVID-19 crisis management, back in 2018 Salomon ordered only 50 million masks to stock for a possible health emergency, contrary to scientific recommendations of having a billion masks in stock. In addition, Salomon allegedly put pressure on the expert panel to modify in hindsight a report recommending a billion masks to justify his decision. The commission proves the accusation by an exchange of emails between Salomon and former Director General of Sante Publique national health agency, Francois Bourdillon, concerning the report.

"Our committee of inquiry [on health management] in the Senate has just revealed an extremely serious fact: the fact that Mr. Salomon, head of Sante Publique, influenced an expert report on the famous mask stock. It's serious," Retailleau said.

According to the inquiry commission, the DGS also failed to notify then-Health Minister Agnez Buzyn about the 50 million mask stock. The official was then subjected to an inquiry over mishandling of the coronavirus crisis, including the shortage of face masks and the necessary equipment to treat the COVID-19 patients at the onset of the first wave. Former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and incumbent health minister Olivier Veran are also probed on the matter.