Cabinet approves plan to bring children back to school, reopen selected shops

Primary school lower graders and children in kindergarten will return to the classroom on a rotating basis from April 12, Education Minister Robert Plaga announced after Tuesday’s cabinet meeting. First and second graders will have to wear facemasks and will need to take non-invasive antigen tests twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. Schools will get 12.6 million masks free of charge. Pre-schoolers will not need to wear face masks.

The government on Tuesday also approved the reopening of selected shops and services, zoos and farmers’ markets as of Monday April 12.

The government will not ask the lower house to extend the state of emergency beyond April 11, meaning that the night curfew and the ban on travel between districts will not apply after that date.