Greece to provide all students with free face masks at start of new school year

PM Mitsotakis also stated that once a vaccine becomes available it, too, will be distributed free of charge

With the return to school just around the corner, the Greek government has announced that it will be providing face masks to all students in the country throughout the year. This monumental task will be accomplished through an intense partnership with local authorities across Greece and is meant to prevent the need for educational facilities to shut down in order to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Taking care of citizens

According to the Greek Ministry of Education, masks will be mandatory only within classrooms. Wearing protective equipment will not be a must when outside the classrooms themselves and while in places such as gyms, corridors or while in a break – unless these locations are overcrowded, which is when the relevant authoritative figures will have to make a judgement on the wearing of masks.

The decision to provide masks to all students is a direct response to criticism coming from opposition parties that claimed that the government is leaving poor families behind. Thus, in order to combat this narrative, the Mitsotakis government issued a special and extraordinary grant of 15.2 million euros that will be allocated to local government so they can procure the necessary face coverings. By working together with municipalities, the provision of these vital supplies will allow for all Greek children to return to school without fears for their safety.

At the meeting discussing the recent COVID-19 developments, PM Mitsotakis also stated that the government will not leave anyone behind when it comes to the distribution of a vaccine. Once one is available and is deemed safe, whenever that may be, the Greek government has taken upon itself to provide a shot to every citizen in order to protect the entire population and keep everyone safe and healthy.