France is closing all of its schools and universities in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

President Emmanuel Macron announced the new measures live on television yesterday evening.

Macron said: “Despite our efforts, the virus is accelerating. It will hit the most vulnerable people first and we are taking great efforts to increase massively the capacity in our hospitals. We have to prepare for the second wave, which will hit younger people. We have to prepare our emergency staff. We need to win time but the priority is to protect the most vulnerable.

“For our collective interest, from Monday and until further notice, nurseries, schools, colleges, high schools and universities will be closed. Closed for a simple reason – our children and our youngest, according to scientists, are the ones who seem to spread the virus the fastest.”