Not all classrooms can reopen safely in France, acknowledges Education Minister amid rising COVID cases

Not all French classrooms can safely reopen Tuesday, the education minister acknowledged Sunday, amid a persistent rise in coronavirus infections that is threatening the government's push to get France's 12.9 million schoolchildren back in class.

“It's being decided by a day-by-day analysis based on the health situation of each territory,” Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said Sunday on France-Info radio. Some classes will remain closed, he said, but “as few as possible.” A collective of doctors published an appeal Saturday saying the governments' school virus measures aren't strict enough.

It urged mask requirements for children as young as six and a mix of online and in-person schooling. The government wants to reopen all schools starting Tuesday to reduce learning gaps worsened by the spring lockdown and to get parents back at work and revive the economy.

France reported 5,453 new daily infections Saturday, compared to several hundred a day in May and June. The national health service says the growth is exponential, and neighbouring countries have imposed quarantines or testing for people arriving from parts or all of France.