It has now been two years since the Covid turned our lives upside down. Our schools are not immune to the virus since, since the appearance of the disease in our country, they have had to adapt with more or less important measures. On the eve of a new school year, the Minister of Education sent a circular to the establishments in order to prepare for any eventuality.
Because if Caroline Désir underlines that “the current epidemiological context makes it possible to continue the normalization of the organization of school life during the start of the new school year on August 29”, there are still fears of seeing “an epidemic rebound which could produce in the fall. This is why it wanted to recall the standards to be respected in terms of aeration and ventilation, “which are maintained and must imperatively continue to be implemented”, but also to provide various information and recommendations with a view to ensuring the protection of the most vulnerable people.
The full circular
Ventilation/aeration
Providing fresh air is an effective way to reduce the risk of contamination from an infectious disease. Air currents prevent micro-droplets from spreading and getting stuck in the air.
As a reminder, the basic standards are as follows:
· open the windows before class, between classes, breaks, and after class;
· keep the windows (at least two if there are several) ajar during lessons and fully open during breaks;
· if window ventilators are present, ensure that they are operational.
Hand hygiene
It is still recommended for students and staff members to wash their hands several times a day with soap or hydroalcoholic gel.
Vaccination
Although no vaccine provides 100% protection against the disease, multiple studies have shown that vaccination can greatly limit the risk of developing severe forms of COVID.
In Brussels as in Wallonia, access to a 4th dose of vaccine has already been opened to certain categories of medically vulnerable people. This access should be extended in the coming months as part of a new large vaccination campaign.
For all useful information on this subject:
–For Wallonia: https://www.jemevaccine.be/centre-d-informations/
–For Brussels: https://coronavirus.brussels
Additional recommendation for vulnerable people
Wearing an FFP2 mask is recommended for all medically vulnerable people.
Furthermore, while the wearing of a mask cannot be made compulsory under any circumstances at this stage, neither for staff members nor for students, all those who wish to wear it must be authorized to do so.
Finally, for stays abroad, specific health rules may still apply in the country or region concerned. Before any departure, it is therefore advisable to familiarize yourself with these possible rules, in particular via the FPS Foreign Affairs website: https://diplomatie.belgium.be/fr/covid-19 »