The students of French universities will be advised to wear a mask in the classrooms when classes resume in September.

Students will resume classes in their universities, which have been closed since March 16 because of the coronavirus. They will also be asked to wear masks in their classrooms, the Ministry of Higher Education announced on Thursday, August 6.

“The wearing of masks in classrooms is highly recommended,” the ministry said, releasing a note that should allow universities and higher education institutions “to accommodate the largest number of students, in compliance with health regulations.”

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Social distancing must be maintained in universities

Following the gradual end of the lockdown that began on May 11, schools had gradually reopened in France, but higher education institutions, including 74 universities, had remained closed to prevent the epidemic from spreading.

According to the ministerial note, the health situation today makes it possible to issue “more flexible” instructions, even if it requires “maintaining vigilance justified by the constant circulation of the virus”.

“We are working closely with the schools to introduce policies at the start of the new school year to protect teachers, staff and students from the virus while allowing them to get together in a face-to-face setting as much as possible,” said the Higher Education Minister, Frédérique Vidal.

With this new standard, social distancing rules – one metre between each student or a seat left empty in enclosed spaces – will have to be respected. If this is not possible, the wearing of masks will be “compulsory” and will also be required in “all circumstances” inside the libraries.

Enclosed spaces should also be ventilated “twice a day” and student traffic should be regulated to avoid “large gatherings and crossings”. The amphitheatres’ capacity should, therefore, be “adapted”.

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On-line teaching still on the agenda

This more flexible protocol will apply to universities, campuses, residences and restaurants, but could be jeopardised if the epidemic starts up again, which could lead to “localised lockdowns,” the Ministry warns.

In this context, the note invites universities to take immediate steps to ensure “pedagogical continuity” through e-learning.

The number of cases of Covid-19 has risen again in recent weeks in France, but the data regarding deaths and hospitalisations in intensive care units remain very far from the peak of the epidemic.