Coronavirus: Concern over school opening due to Omicron – What experts say
In the change of the sanitary protocols of their operation schools The government staff, in consultation with the Committee of Experts, should proceed due to the new pandemic Omicron mutation.
The government’s proposal is for schools to reopen without delay on January 10, with the e-learning scenario rejected and experts increased testing before repetition in classrooms.
The Ministry of Education, taking stock of cases in the school community since the beginning of the school year in September, has concluded that open schools with increased diagnostic tests work effectively to detect cases and reduce the spread in the community.
Within the next week we are expected to see final decisions for protocols while suspended all school trips both inside and outside the Territory and by any means.
The scenarios for the return
According to an OPEN report, on the table is the possibility that all students will return to school after undergoing a rapid test to detect asymptomatic cases.
However, there is a lot of concern about the work of the tests, as thousands of citizens undergo daily diagnostic tests for the coronavirus.
At the same time, the committee of experts is discussing the possibility of increasing the weekly self-tests that students undergo from two to three.
Also, the possibility of changing the health protocol according to which in order to close a department must be treated with coronavirus in 50 + 1% of students, remains open with some experts arguing that this number should be reduced.
Thoughts on distance learning in Universities
The Committee of Experts proposes the return of e-learning to universities due to the high mobility of students, in combination with the fact that most cases of “Omicron” in young people 18-34 years old.
There is also a scenario that predicts that schools will open later so as not to coincide with the opening of schools. However, vaccination rates at student ages are very high, so the possibility of Universities operating normally should not be ruled out.
The plan b of the extension
However, according to information, the table will also be proposal to open schools not on January 10 but on January 17, to have a clearer picture of the course of the pandemic after the holidays.
The measure is supported by experts but it seems that for the time being it is rejected by the government.
The extension of one week of the students’ holidays due to holidays is suggested by the professor of Pulmonology, Nikos Tzanakis, considering that if the schools reopen, in a few days they will be forced to close again due to the pandemic dependence.
“About one in seven children at the age of 0 to 20 is currently an active case. Every family has at least one active case …. It is so aggressive and so exponential (Omicron)Με Do we prefer parents to be at home with their children healthy? Or be at home and away from work with their children sick? ” asked the professor, speaking to SKAI.
He clarified that he does not see stabilization or remission of cases before 15 to 20 January.