Millions of French children starting going back to school Tuesday despite a recent rise in virus infections, in a nationwide experiment aimed at bridging inequalities and reviving the economy.
"The virus is still there, and you have to protect yourself," President Emmanuel Macron said in an Instagram video aimed at France´s more than 12 million schoolchildren on their first day back.
He spoke masked. Masks are required throughout the school day for all students 11 and over, and all teachers and school staff.
Masks are also mandatory starting Tuesday in all French workplaces, as the government encourages parents to return to the job while trying to keep infections under control. France reported 3,082 new coronavirus cases Monday, down from recent days but still higher than European neighbors and well above the few hundred daily cases reported in May and June, before summer vacations sent infections rising again. France has reported more than 30,600 deaths related to the virus.
