Mask compulsory from 6 years old: how to encourage children to wear it?

“In accordance with the opinion sent to us yesterday by the High Council of Public Health, the wearing of a mask will be extended to primary school children from the age of 6”, Prime Minister Jean Castex declared this Thursday, October 29, in front of The national assembly. This extension of the wearing of the obligatory mask to children from 6 years old has been demanded for a long time by scientists. But itow to convince young children to put on a mask as soon as they go to school?

Wearing a mask is not pleasant for anyone. If adults quickly understand its usefulness, it is more difficult for children. In addition to the comfort issues, there are fears, especially for the little ones: will I still be able to speak and be heard through the mask? Is there a risk of suffocating me? In addition, a masked face is difficult to recognize for a child, which can lead to loss of bearings and some anxiety.

Appeal to the imagination of the child

It is for this reason that French associations and doctors give tips to help you convince children to wear a mask. The French Association for Ambulatory Pediatrics (Afpa) advises to familiarize the child with the mask through play.

In the same way that fashion designers strive to transform it into a fashion accessory to motivate the general public to wear it, the association underlines the importance of passing it off as a disguise for children. In reference to comic book or cartoon characters such as Zorro, Spiderman, Batman, Catwoman, Fantômette … Explain to your child that by wearing a mask, they protect others from the virus, such as their heroes and heroines.

Moreover, major brands seized the opportunity! Disney has released a range of Star Wars masks, as well as masks with the lower face of Winnie the Pooh, Stitch or Mickey, for example. Playmobil has simply created a plastic mask with an interchangeable filter, which appeals to both children and adults … However, these are not surgical or FFP2 masks, simply consumer masks reusable after washing.

Wearing a mask from 6 years old: what the WHO thinks

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that the use of a mask for patients children aged 6 to 11 years old is based on the following factors:

• Intense transmission in the area where the child resides.
• The child’s ability to use a mask correctly and safely.
• The supervision of an adult to provide explanations on the safe wearing and removal of masks.
• Contact with other people at high risk of developing serious illness, such as the elderly and those with other pre-existing conditions.

Finally, remember that wearing a mask without washing your hands has no interest. The main thing is therefore to also familiarize children on a daily basis with the various barrier gestures that make it possible to limit the circulation of the virus.

Also read:

• How to put on (and wash) a homemade protective mask?
• 15 things not to do with your mask
• Coronavirus in children: what to remember
• The list of symptoms of the coronavirus (covid-19)