Days after reopening, France shuts 22 schools following Covid-19 outbreaks

12 million students returned to school in France last week.

This went ahead despite teachers’ unions and many parents voicing concerns over plans to reopen classrooms as the spread of the virus gathers speed again.

Almost immediately, 22 schools were closed again across France and in French territories due to cases of Covid-19 being discovered, French Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer has announced, France 24 reports.

“In mainland France there are currently 12 schools closed out of a total of more than 60,000, which is a small number. In addition, 10 schools in La Réunion (a French department in the Indian Ocean) are now closed, which makes the total 22,” Blanquer told Europe 1 radio.

The minister said the authorities are investigating around 250 incidents related to Covid-19 in schools every day.

“These incidents are mainly linked to factors outside school, concerning people who could have been contaminated over the summer,” he said.

“The first week of classes has gone relatively well, despite the fears. Everyone went back and that makes me very happy.”

In France, if a school reports more than three coronavirus cases, the school is temporarily shut.

Over the country as a whole, the French health ministry said last week it had registered more than 7,000 new coronavirus infections over 24 hours for the second time in two days.

That number is just short of the daily record of 7,578 set on March 31.

Currently, hospitalisations for the virus are also on the rise in France.