The number of students infected with the coronavirus rose from 15,000 to more than 21,000 new cases in one week. Faced with the worsening of the situation, the authorities announced the establishment of a reinforced protocol in the schools of the confined departments. These new measures come into force as of Monday, March 29, 2021. Let’s take stock.
A single case of Covid leads to the closure of the class
The Minister of Education Jean-Michel Blanquer announced last Friday that as part of the reinforced protocol, the schools of the 19 confined departments will have to close from the first positive case of Covid-19. While until now, a class closure has taken place from three cases of Covid-19, the minister thus declared ” We must strengthen health measures in the school environment […] From next week, in the departments concerned, we will close each class to the first case of contamination “. A measure which applies from this Monday, March 29, 2021 and which is valid for the types of establishment: from kindergarten to high school.
In practice, this means that with a positive case in a class, all the other students will be considered as contact cases and will therefore have to be tested after the seven days of class closure. Positive students should be isolated for ten days. For information, parents who cannot telework will be able to obtain a work stoppage as indicated by the ministry.
Half-gauge high schools but no change for colleges
In the 19 confined departments, the high schools have already gone to half-gauge but the reinforced protocol does not plan to extend this measure to secondary schools. However, a “hybrid” organization could be set up “on a case-by-case basis”. This can be considered ” when the configuration of the premises, in particular the canteen, does not allow strict compliance with the sanitary protocol “.
The canteens remain open but may close on a case-by-case basis.
During his statements, the Minister of Education Jean-Michel Blanquer acknowledged that the canteens were “ the weakest link ” schools. However, the authorities ruled that the latter play ” a fundamental role in the life of students And therefore wish to keep them open for the moment. On the other hand, the minister did not rule out closures ” case by case ” and ” last resort If the situation requires. ” It will be open to local authorities in consultation with the National Education to do so. We are not urging this to be the case. It is a measure that should be taken as a last resort when it is believed to be essential in view of local circumstances. », Explained Jean-Michel Blanquer.
