School and covid: back to level 2, what new measures?

Monday, December 6, after a Defense Council dedicated to the Covid-19 health crisis, the Prime Minister unveiled new announcements to limit the 5th wave. At school, from Thursday, December 9, the health protocol returns to level 3 throughout the territory. Concretely what does that change for children?

The mask will be compulsory outside in the playground (and no longer only in the classroom),
contact sports will be restricted, and their indoor practice “limited”.
From next Monday, the time of the canteen will be arranged so that the children can eat in class.

Moreover, the rule “1 positive case, the whole class is tested” is maintained. Concretely, in the event of a positive case in a class, it is not closed. On the other hand, the whole class will be tested (by legal officials, free of charge) and only the negatives will come back to class.

The health protocol is not modified at the college where the vaccination rate is 75%.

Vigilance is maintained for the ventilation of the rooms and the limitation of mixing. Are still encouraged by the Ministry of Education, air purifiers, CO2 sensors.

Screening campaigns are also being carried out through the deployment of saliva tests in primary and secondary schools, as well as self-tests in high schools.

Category 1 “general public” masks must be worn from 6 years old

Wearing a Category 1 “general public” mask remains compulsory for staff and for students of elementary schools, colleges and high schools. This follows the recommendations of the High Council of Public Health to no longer use handmade masks, judged less effective than so-called “category 1” masks manufactured by manufacturers.

In nursery schools, the mask remains banned.

When the mask is not in use, it can either be hung from an insulated hanger or folded up without outside / inside contacts (without rolling it up) and stored in an individual pouch.

Classroom ventilation every hour and reinforced disinfection

The protocol recalls that the ventilation of premises and classrooms must be “as frequent as possible”. The ventilation must last at least 15 minutes in the morning before the arrival of the pupils, during intercourse, during each recess, at lunch time (in the absence of people) and during the cleaning of the premises. And aeration of a few minutes must also take place every hour.

Furthermore, in the event of mechanical ventilation, its proper functioning and maintenance must be ensured.

Limitation of brews and group lunches in the canteen

Students in the same class have lunch together while maintaining a distance of at least two meters with those of other classes, against a meter previously. The ministry specifies that “the stability of groups of students having lunch at the same table is privileged”.

In middle and high school, “when the respect of the distance of two meters between pupils is materially impossible, it is advisable to have lunch the pupils of the same group (class, groups of class or level) together and, to the extent of the possible, always at the same table. A distance of at least two meters is respected between the groups. “

Outside the canteen, the circulation rules for students are unchanged to limit mixing between students (arrivals and departures spread over time, breaks in groups, limited travel, etc.).

What if my child has a symptom?

Your child flies, coughs, complains about the throat … Wondering if it is a cold or the coronavirus?

“In the event of suggestive symptoms1 of Covid-19 or fever (38 ° C or more), the child must not go to school and the parents take advice from the attending physician who decides on the measures to be taken “, indicates the Ministry of Education.

In this case, the parents must inform the school principal or the head of the establishment, specifying the reason. In addition, it is essential that parents immediately inform the school or school if the student or another member of the household has Covid-19, or if the student has been identified as a risk contact. A lack of rapid information would not make it possible to identify and interrupt the chains of transmission in the school environment. “

In the event of a positive test, once the school principal or the head of the establishment has been informed, your child must stay at home while he is taking care of himself. Exclusion from the class is 7 days from the date of onset of symptoms, duration may be extended if symptoms persist. In the event of fever on the 7th day, isolation continues for up to 48 hours after the disappearance of symptoms.

The school director or the head of the establishment, in conjunction with the national education medical staff, draws up the list of people, students or staff, likely to be at-risk contacts within the school or the school. school and, as a precautionary measure, sets up eviction measures for these people pending validation by the ARS.

Source: