Their smiles were the only ones we could see, almost an anomaly.
From Monday, it is masked that primary students will return to school.
Jean Castex, the Prime Minister announced this Thursday morning in front of the National Assembly: the threshold of compulsory wearing goes from 11 to 6 years.
“It didn't seem to bother my son Julian when he heard the news,” Sophia agrees.
What worries this mother more is who is going to tell her son to renew his mask: "He has already worn some in the street, after an hour, the mask had already become permeable, filled with humidity.
It is that it moves at that age, so he will have to change it at least three times a day.
Who will remind him?
The mistress ?
The poor one, with her 30 students, she already has enough to do… ”, loose this mother, a little dubious.
"We have finally been heard"
"It's an excellent initiative, we have finally been heard," said Michael Royer, for his part.
From August 29, this general practitioner, co-founder of the Stop postillons collective, called in our columns to wear a mask from 6 years old, believing that the health protocol planned for the start of the school year was insufficient.
“Certainly, children do not have serious forms of the coronavirus, admits this general practitioner from Outreau (Pas-de-Calais).
But, as multiple studies show, that does not mean that they are neither contaminants nor contaminated, he continues.
The proof, there was last week, in France 30 children under 9 hospitalized and 56 in the 10-19 age group.
"
"It is a question of not leaving any child on the side of the road while protecting the teachers" explained this Thursday evening the Prime Minister Jean Castex, before the Minister of National Education Jean-Michel Blanquer presents the broad outlines of the new health protocol that awaits all children, young and old alike: a welcome and outings of students spread over time, reinforced ventilation of the premises, recreations organized by small groups and especially lessons that will take place in one and the same room class all day.
PODCAST. From useless to mandatory, the French saga of the mask against Covid-19
The minister wants to avoid as much as possible the mixing of students and their movements.
"Our duty is to protect our children and therefore our future" commented the Minister while insisting on the effectiveness of the measures already in place: "Over the last seven days, there are 8,223 students who are Covid cases, out of 12, 4 million in total and personal side, 2,060 cases out of 1.2 million, or 0.18% ”indicated the Minister, ensuring that whenever necessary, establishments or classes would be closed as has already been done since September.
At AFPA, the French association of ambulatory pediatrics rather reluctant to wear a mask from 6 years old, we bow with good grace: “Now that the virus is circulating very actively, OK!
launches Fabienne Kochert, its president.
If this can reassure parents and teachers, so much the better, she continues.
The priority of the priorities is indeed that the schools do not close, The children suffered too much during the first confinement and then now, they are ready, the mask is now part of their daily life.
For months they have seen their parents, their elders handling them, carrying them, they observe.
For them, there is no longer any surprise effect.
And since they are very brave, I would even bet that they will be much more disciplined than adults, ”smiles the pediatrician.
"Other forms of stimulation than that of screens"
Her colleague Sylvie Dieu Osika, also applauds this additional turn of the screw, “even if children are probably less contagious than adults, they must also be associated with these barrier gestures.
So let's do our best to make it go well, some children will probably have more difficulty than others with the mask.
In any case, it is essential that during this new confinement they have other forms of stimulation than that of screens, that they continue to see their friends, to have a structured social life, ”she believes.
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Sleep disorders, fatigue, delay in learning: since the start of the school year, this doctor at Verdier hospital (Bondy), co-founder of the Cose collective (Collective overexposure screens), has seen how much the containment version 1 had had deleterious effects: “Some little ones spent whole days with the tablet or the TV for only company.
Never again!
In fact, only higher education establishments (universities, colleges, etc.) will switch entirely to distance learning.