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France says children must wear masks on transport from age six

Children on French public transport will soon have to wear a face mask from the age of six upwards, the government decreed Saturday, as part of its latest measures against coronavirus.

Published: 1 January 2022 21:11 CET

Passengers wait near a sign reading

Passengers wait near a sign reading "A ticket, a mask, a health pass" at the Gare de Lyon station in Paris. As of Monday, rail passengers will not be allowed to remove their masks to eat or drink. GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT / AFP

Masks had previously been compulsory from the age of 11, but Paris is tightening regulations given the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.

Children aged six and older will have to don a mask on all means of public transport within national borders from Monday, while carriers will not serve any food or drink for three weeks from the same date.

Prime Minister Jean Castex had flagged up the drinks and food ban on transport last Monday.

A spokesperson for the SNCF national railway operator indicated the latest restrictions mean passengers will not be permitted to remove their face masks even to eat or drink, save for cross-border services including Thalys and Eurostar.

Restaurant services will be suspended on high-speed TGV and inter-city services as from Monday until January 23, SNCF said in response to the decree.

Daily Covid-19 cases in France have been hitting one record high after another in recent days, with the authorities announcing 232,200 new infections on Friday, the most since the start of the pandemic.

But the government has so far tried to avoid measures like closing down restaurants and bars, instead encouraging all to become fully vaccinated with booster shots.

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Member comments

Anonymous - 1 January 2022 at 22:22 CET

Fair enough, but if masks are required to be worn on public transport by children aged 6+, why are they not required to wear them in shops? We will not be then faced by the current situation of parents in shops, diligently wearing their masks, whilst their entourage of maskless children run about, coughing and spluttering around the shop, potentially spreading the virus. If the child is unable or unwilling to wear a mask in the shop, leave it at home.

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How would a 'youth mobility scheme' between the UK and EU really work?

Across the 27 countries of the EU, people of all ages can move countries to work, study, spend a long visit or chase the possibility of love – and all this is possible thanks to EU freedom of movement.

That freedom no longer extends to the UK. As a result of Brexit, a UK national who wants to move to an EU country, or an EU citizen who wants to move to the UK, will need a visa in order to do so.

However, a new ‘mobility scheme’ could re-create some elements of freedom of movement, if the EU and UK can come to an agreement.

The European Commission on Thursday announced proposals for a ‘youth mobility scheme’.

Who would benefit?

First things first, it’s only for the youngsters, older people will have to continue with the time-consuming and often expensive process of getting a visa for study, work or visiting.

The Commission’s proposal is for a scheme that covers people aged 18 to 30.

Their reasoning is: “The withdrawal of the UK from the EU has resulted in decreased mobility between the EU and the UK. This situation has particularly affected the opportunities for young people to experience life on the other side of the Channel and to benefit from youth, cultural, educational, research and training exchanges.

“The proposal seeks to address in an innovative way the main barriers to mobility for young people experienced today and create a right for young people to travel from the EU to the UK and vice-versa more easily and for a longer period of time.”

How would it work?

We’re still at an early stage, but the proposal is to allow extended stays – for young people to be able to spend up to four years in the EU or UK – under a special type of visa or residency permit. It does not, therefore, replicate the paperwork-free travel of the pre-Brexit era.

The Commission states that travel should not be ‘purpose bound’ to allow young people to undertake a variety of activities while they are abroad.

Under the visa system, people must travel to a country for a specific purpose which has been arranged before they leave – ie in order to study they need a student visa which requires proof of enrolment on a course, or if they intend to work they need a working visa which often requires sponsorship from an employer.

The proposal would allow young people to spend their time in a variety of ways – perhaps some time working, a period of study and then some time travelling or just relaxing.

It would also not be subject to national or Bloc-wide quotas.

It seems that some kind of visa or residency permit would still be required – but it would be issued for up to four years and could be used for a variety of activities.

Fees for this should not be “excessive” – and the UK’s health surcharge would not apply to people travelling under this scheme.

Are there conditions?

Other than the age qualification, the proposal is that young people would have to meet other criteria, including having comprehensive health insurance, plus financial criteria to ensure that they will be able to support themselves while abroad.

The visa/residency permit could be rejected on the ground of threats to public policy, public security or public health.

Will this happen soon?

Slow down – what’s happened today is that the European Commission has made a recommendation to open negotiations.

This now needs to be discussed in the Council of Europe.

If the Council agrees then, and only then, will the EU open negotiations with the UK on the subject. The scheme could then only become a reality if the EU and UK come to an agreement on the terms of the scheme, and then refine the fine details.

Basically we’re talking years if it happens at all, and there’s plenty of steps along the way that could derail the whole process.

Don’t start packing just yet.

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