After weeks of advising against widespread mask use, the French government announced mandatory masks in key settings starting May 11: public transport, and for teachers and students in middle and high schools from 6th grade onward. As France eases into gradual deconfinement on May 11, public health experts emphasize targeted mask policies to balance safety and supply constraints. Masks won't be universally required, but will be essential in high-risk environments.
Prime Minister Édouard Philippe confirmed during his April 28 National Assembly address that masks will be compulsory on public transport from May 11. Le Parisien reports this as a firm decision awaiting finalization—the only nationwide mandate post-deconfinement initially.
SNCF and Air France have urged mandatory onboard masks for trains and planes, though the government is still deliberating.
Philippe specified masks for early childhood professionals and all adults interacting with students from kindergarten through high school, plus middle and high school students.
Starting May 11, town halls will supply teachers with two masks daily. Parents may opt for masks for CM1 and CM2 students. However, masks are banned for younger primary and kindergarten pupils due to choking risks.
The government prioritized masks for patients and healthcare workers amid severe shortages, not due to inefficacy, but supply limitations.
To ramp up, imports include a billion masks from China, with domestic efforts like LVMH producing millions and a new Seine-Saint-Denis factory targeting 500,000 daily.
Mediapart's April 2 investigation exposed how officials downplayed mass masking's benefits since January to mask shortages, despite hospital warnings. "The government concealed this for nearly two months, tailoring advice to dwindling stocks," it states. By late February, health officials recommended masks for those near Covid carriers; weeks later, spokespeople called them unnecessary.
Early alerts were ignored: Health Ministry ordered minimal masks despite low stocks. The interministerial purchasing cell secured just 40 million in early March—barely a week's supply.
Radio France revealed the 2018 closure of France's largest mask factory (200 million annually) post-U.S. acquisition; reactivation projects are under review in early May.
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