European country tells 6yo kids to mask up
Children aged six and above will now be required to wear masks indoors as France lowers the age requirement by five years in an effort to stop the spread of the Covid-19 Omicron variant.
France announced on Saturday that children aged six and above would have to wear masks in indoor public places, such as schools, public transport, and churches.
Children will also apparently have to wear masks in outdoor public spaces in cities such as Paris after the authorities made outdoor masking mandatory in the French capital this week.
The new mask rules are an attempt by the French government to curb the spread of the Omicron variant, which has led to record cases of the coronavirus in France. France recorded 232,200 cases on Friday – its highest number since the start of the pandemic.
On New Year’s Eve, French President Emmanuel Macron said “the weeks to come will be difficult” and that France would “go through the current challenge by following the same principles as on the first day” of the pandemic.
On Wednesday, French Health Minister Olivier Véran said he “wouldn't call Omicron a wave anymore,” instead referring to the variant as a “tidal wave.”
