France mandates masks for schools and transport
France can make face masks compulsory on public transport and in secondary schools when it starts easing its coronavirus lockdown on 11 May, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has said.
Schools will reopen gradually, starting with kindergartens and primary schools.
Pupils aged 11-15 will be likely to wear face masks.
It comes as hard-hit Spain also outlined its lockdown exit plan, aiming for what its prime minister called "a fresh normality" by the end of June.
How will France reopen?
Non-essential shops and markets will open their doors again from 11 May, however, not bars and restaurants.
Stores will have the right to ask shoppers to wear masks, and really should ensure they remain a metre (3ft) apart, the prime minister said.
In a relief to numerous, the French can go outside again with out a certificate confirming their intentions, and public gatherings as high as 10 people will be allowed. Crèches will also reopen - but with a maximum of 10 children in each group.
France has suffered one of the highest Covid-19 death rates in Europe, combined with the UK, Italy and Spain.
On Tuesday the quantity of people who have died with the virus rose by 367 to 23,660, the country's health ministry said. Some 129,859 people have been infected.
Hospital admissions and the amount of patients in intensive care have already been falling, however, giving cause for cautious optimism.
Addressing parliament, Mr Philippe said the lockdown had saved around 62,000 lives in France in per month, but that it had been time to help ease measures in order to avoid an economic collapse.
"We will need to figure out how to live with the virus," he said, until a vaccine or effective treatment is available.
He summed up France's priorities as "protect, test, isolate".
Parliament backed his proposals after a debate by a big majority. Only 75 of almost 600 French MPs were allowed into the chamber for reasons of social distancing, with others voting by proxy.
Will the lockdown definitely be lifted?
Mr Philippe stressed that France must take strict precautions to avoid another wave of coronavirus infections.
"The risk of a second wave, which would strike a weakened hospital fabric, which would impose a 're-confinement', which would ruin the efforts and sacrifices made during these eight weeks, is a serious risk," he said.
The lockdown will never be eased on 11 May if new cases don't stay below 3,000 a day, he added.
France has seen about 2,162 new cases a day typically over the past fourteen days.
The federal government has set a target to carry out at least 700,000 coronavirus tests weekly from 11 May, the prime minister said, and can cover the cost of testing.
"Once one has tested positive, we will get started to identify and test those, symptomatic or not, who've had close contact with them. All these contact cases will be tested and you will be asked to isolate themselves," he said.
Mr Philippe said that where possible, people should keep working at home beyond 11 May.
