Thousands of French schools reopened. A coronavirus resurgence shut some of them down again.
What's happening in France's schools is calling into question whether kids can return just yet.
About 40,000 preschools and primary schools in parts of France hit less hard by COVID-19 reopened last week, while another 150,000 junior high students return to class on Monday. But while class sizes were capped at 15 students and only about a third of the country's students went back, some schools saw a "worrying" flareup of new coronavirus cases and had to quickly shut down again, The Associated Press reports.
A total of 70 new COVID-19 cases linked to schools were reported since they'd reopened, French Education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said Monday. Affected schools, including seven in northern France, were quickly closed again. The coronavirus' incubation period can be upwards of two weeks, so those 70 people were probably infected before they went back to school, Blanquer said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Blanquer didn't say whether those infected were students or teachers. Some people — President Trump included — have suggested opening up schools would be less problematic than other businesses because young people generally haven't gotten as sick from COVID-19. But children's potential to spread coronavirus, as shown in France, coupled with the inflammatory Kawasaki disease spreading among young people and thought to be connected to COVID-19, call into question whether that's safe and possible. Read more at The Associated Press.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Indie film's 'very brief' use of AI sparks backlash and calls for boycotts
Talking Points Did the creators of a new horror movie make a deal with the artificial intelligence devil?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Could Taylor Swift swing the election?
Today's Big Question The pop star has outsized influence — and that extends beyond the music industry
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
More than 2,000 dead following massive earthquake in Morocco
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mexico's next president will almost certainly be its 1st female president
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
North Korea's Kim to visit Putin in eastern Russia to discuss arms sales for Ukraine war, U.S. says
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Gabon's military leader sworn in following coup in latest African uprising
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published