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School children in Strasbourg, France (archive image)
Photo:
Jean-Francois Badias / dpa
Since Monday, a mask requirement has again been in place for all pupils from the first grade in schools across France.
President Emmanuel Macron announced the move in his address on the corona situation last week.
"The goal is to close as few classes as possible and prevent the pandemic from spreading again," said Catherine Nave-Bekhti, chairwoman of a teachers' union.
In the past few months, the number of areas affected by the mask requirement in France had changed several times.
In October it was lifted in 79 of 101 departments.
After the autumn break, it was back in 57 departments.
It is now compulsory to wear a mask across the country, regardless of the incidence, which in around ten departments is still below the threshold of 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per week.
“The fifth wave has started in Europe,” Macron said last week.
Even if France is doing better than Great Britain and Germany, the increasing numbers are worrying.
Better incidence and vaccination values than in Germany
The national incidence in France is currently 89. The number of new infections has increased by 28 percent in one week.
Compared to Germany, the vaccination rate is higher in France: a good 89 percent of over-12-year-olds are vaccinated at least once.
That corresponds to almost 77 percent of the total population.
In Germany it is around 70 percent.
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Macron had increased the pressure on seniors last week to get a booster vaccination.
Without the booster vaccination, people over the age of 65 are no longer considered fully vaccinated from mid-December and have to be tested if they want to visit restaurants or museums, for example.
Last week, however, the State Council overturned another planned new regulation: school principals would have had the opportunity to inquire about the vaccination status of their students.
However, this is an inappropriate interference with private life, the highest administrative court had ruled.
him / AFP