Schools continue to welcome students, thanks to the implementation of a reinforced health protocol. However, in view of the circulation of the coronavirus, the measures are adjusted.
Closed schools
In this epidemic period, the Ministry of Education details the procedures to be applied in the event of suspected or confirmed contamination with Covid-19. A classroom can be closed from 3 cases of Covid. When the circulation of the coronavirus is very active and localized, the ministry recommends closing the school establishment. This is the case of the Louisette Wattiez school in Plessis-Belleville, by order of the Oise prefecture, from January 18 to 26, 2021. Indeed, 27 cases of Covid-19 have been detected, including 22 students and 5 adults. It is not the only closed educational structure in France. To date, January 20:
- 22 school structures are closed out of 61,500, or 0.03% of establishments, including 20 schools, 1 college and 1 high school;
- 138 classes out of 528,400 are closed in open school structures, ie 0.02%.
Over the last seven days:
- 7,782 cases of Covid-19 in students are confirmed out of 12,400,000 students, or 0.06% (+ 1,238 in 24 hours);
- 1,136 people contracted out of 1,162,500 educational personnel, which represents 0.09% (+ 198 in 24 hours).
Protocol in establishments and canteens
The health protocol in schools has been in effect for several months already. It is based on major principles:
- respect for barrier gestures;
- wearing a mask for adults and students from CP;
- hand hygiene;
- cleaning and ventilation of the premises;
- mixing limitation.
Since last Thursday, new rules have also been in force in school canteens, to avoid the closure of establishments, as during the first confinement in France. The canteen is considered ” the weakest link », Favoring the mixing of pupils from different classes. This is why children in the same class must now have their meals together each day, on the same table. To do this, the lunch service time is lengthened in schools and could be in colleges. In addition, extra-curricular and indoor sports activities are suspended for a few weeks.
Reinforced screening tests
To facilitate screening for Covid-19, students and staff can benefit from priority access to RT-PCR tests in medical biology laboratories. Also, antigenic tests can be carried out within school structures as well as campaigns, in case of occurrence of cases, thanks to 1 million tests which are dedicated to them. The government aims to run 300,000 tests per week for students and staff and reach 1 million by the end of January.
