Coronavirus: face masks become China’s key back-to-school accessory
- Pupils around the country returned to the classroom last week, with most schools insisting on face coverings
- Pictures from some schools show they even had to wear masks during PE lessons
Chinese children started returning to school across the country last week as part of an effort to get things back to normal, but one thing they had to adjust to was strict new rules that require them to wear face masks at all times – even during PE lessons.
Middle and high schools resumed operations in major cities such as Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou and almost all made mask-wearing compulsory at all times.
David He, a father in Hangzhou, said his nine-year-old daughter went back to school on Monday and the school has adopted strict epidemic prevention measures.
Guidance issued in March said that people should wear disposable masks indoors whenever they are less than a metre (3ft) away from another person in medium and low-risk areas – which now covers most of China.
Even though the guidance also said there was no need to wear a mask in the open air unless large numbers are gathering, some schools in Guangzhou have made it mandatory for students to wear masks during outdoor activities, according to the Information Times.