Between risks of Covid contamination, class closures and a potential explosion in the number of sick teachers, students, teachers and administrators returned to school on Monday January 3 in a climate of uncertainty – especially as the health protocol specific to schools had only been unveiled the day before, at 4 p.m., in a paid article from Parisian.
“We have to be in this situation [de donner ces consignes la veille pour le lendemain] to be as close as possible to reality [sanitaire], justified the Minister of Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer, on LCI. And we have processes [à suivre] », explaining that the decisions had been taken in the health defense council on Monday, December 27, but had awaited the approval of the High Council of Public Health (HCSP) and the scientific council at the end of last week.
No FFP2 for teachers
In terms of the new health protocol, no big change to be expected for this new school year: level 3 (out of 4) is maintained in elementary schools, just like level 2 in middle and high schools, in order to reduce the mixing between classes and levels. On the other hand, there is no longer a class closure as soon as we reach three cases of Covid.
Second development: the Minister of National Education has decided to strengthen the contact tracing policy, which will subject students to three tests in four days if there is a positive in the class. “What changes is that from now on, when the family takes the first test, they will receive two free self-tests in the pharmacy, so that the students can test themselves once more at home on D + 2 and D + 4”, said the minister in an interview with Parisian Sunday. A pupil may return to class following the presentation of a negative result, from the first test carried out.
Asked regarding the proposal of the oppositions – especially environmentalists – to provide teachers with an FFP2 mask, more protective for the wearer than surgical masks, Mr. Blanquer said on LCI Monday that he “It would be good if the controversial subjects went on another ground” that of the management of the epidemic. And to add: “The most fundamental barrier gestures are washing your hands, opening the windows. “
Several European countries have recently decided to switch from the obligation to wear a surgical mask to FFP2. In Italy, since December 25, this type of mask is mandatory in all public transport, cinemas, museums, theaters and stadiums. In Greece, all public places will impose it from January 3, as is already the case in Austria. In Germany, some Länder, such as Bavaria or Lower Saxony, have made it compulsory in transport or shops.
Ensuring the “continuity of public service”
Asked regarding the difficulties at school in the coming weeks, the Minister of Education “Don’t deny that the month of January can be a bit tense” in schools. During the school holidays, the scientific council estimated at ” at least “ a third are professors who might be affected by the virus by the end of January, either by being positive for Covid-19 or by being in contact.
But the relaxation of the isolation rules from this Monday, announced the day before by the Minister of Health in an interview with Sunday newspaper, should avoid cascading absences. Thus, for teachers in contact cases, “Given the doctrine which now applies, they go back to school if they are vaccinated following having taken a test”, said Mr. Blanquer.
The fear of disorganization is indeed at the heart of the concerns of the executive. “We are in the process of organizing ourselves so that there is continuity of public service”, added the Minister of Education, still on LCI. A meeting is scheduled in Matignon at 4 p.m. Monday on this subject. It will bring together around ten ministers, including Mr. Blanquer, the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, and the ministers responsible for the key sectors of energy or transport.
Bill before the Assembly
January is going to be “Difficult in the hospital”, confirmed for his part the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, Monday on France Inter. “The risk incurred with Omicron is a risk of saturation of our hospitals, conventional hospital beds”, he warned. “Omicron is less dangerous” and “Causes less acute respiratory distress, and the need for intensive care beds is lower than with previous variants”, but it can cause “Oxygen requirements of three, four days, and therefore we expect an influx of patients in conventional hospital beds”, explained the minister. Especially since other pathologies, chronic or not, need to be treated. “The flu has started, the gastroenteritis is here”, added Mr. Véran.
For “Respond to the epidemic recovery in an efficient, graduated manner”, in the words of the Minister of Health, the deputies will examine on Monday from 3 p.m. the government bill “Strengthening the tools for managing the health crisis”. This notably provides for the transformation of the health pass into a vaccination pass. Having a negative test will no longer be sufficient to have access to places conditioned until now for the presentation of the health pass – leisure places, restaurants and bars, fairs or interregional public transport – except for establishments and services of health.