School Resumption: Children From Age 6 Will Be Made To Wear Face Masks - Spanish Govt

The Spanish Government has said that children aged six and above will be made to mandatorily wear face masks, as schools in the country prepare to resume activities despite the rising cases reported.

At a news conference, the Minister of Education, Isabel Celaa said, “The use of masks will be mandatory in general from the age of six, even if social distance is maintained."

As all the 17 regional governments in the country tasked with the responsibility of health care and education develop safety measures, there has been some disharmony in the guidelines, especially in the case of face mask-wearing.

The government in the northern part of Cantabria mandated that children as young as three wear face masks, a directive that trailed controversies.

READ ALSO: 6,000 Volunteers Register For COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Trial In Peru

The education minister also said that alongside the face mask directive, the students are expected to observe the 1.5 metres distance from each other, and they will be allowed to associate with people only in their class.

Celaa said, “We aim for all students to be present,” as opposed to the online classes taken during the end of the last school term.

Schools in the European nation were shut in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, and as new cases surge in the country and the government moved to reopen schools, there have been backlashes over the decision.

Spain's coronavirus cases surged past 400,000 this week, with fatalities nearing 30,000, making Spain one of the worst-hit countries.