Schoolchildren in large parts of France were ordered Monday to again wear face masks in class, less than a month after being allowed to remove them, as the country tries to tamp down a surge in Covid cases.
Primary schools in 40 of France’s 101 departments or administrative areas, which had been mask-free for weeks, are affected by the order, which comes a day before President Emmanuel Macron addresses the nation about the health crisis.
Under the government’s Covid protocol, primary school pupils have to wear masks when the incidence rate rises above 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants over five consecutive days.
Belgium is also reintroducing mandatory masks for some schoolchildren from today. New rules regarding the health safety of pupils will be introduced both in French- and Dutch-speaking schools as of today (Monday), including the re-introduction of face masks for certain age groups.
