The “three positives” rule survived less than a month. With the new increase in infections and lo Omicron spectrum looming over Europe, the Ministry of Health has decided to turn around on the security protocol launched in early November. We return to the previous rules, which means that only one positive case in the classroom will be enough, whether it is a student or a teacher, to send everyone into quarantine and trigger distance learning.
This is foreseen in a circular signed on November 29 by the Director General of Prevention of the Ministry of Health, Gianni Rezza, and by the Head of the Human, Financial and Instrumental Resources Department of the Ministry of Education, Jacopo Greco.
SCHOOL AND QUARANTINE: THE NEW RULES
“Lately there has been a rapid and generalized increase in the number of new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection, even in school age, with a weekly incidence (cases/population) still growing and equal to 125 per 100.000 inhabitants ( 19/11/2021 – 25/11/2021): a value far from the optimal one of 50 per 100.000, useful for correct tracking of cases”, reads the circular. By virtue of these data, the Ministry of Health, in agreement with that of Education, deems it "appropriate to suspend - temporarily - the 'surveillance with testing0' program and to consider quarantine for all subjects in close contact with a class/group where there was also a single case among students and/or school staff”.
The document also establishes that, in the event that the Local Health Authorities are unable to intervene "promptly", it will be up to the school manager "exceptionally and urgently, to arrange distance learning immediately for the entire class group without prejudice to the assessments of the Asl in order to identify the subjects (to be considered "close contacts" following an epidemiological investigation) to be formally subjected to the quarantine measure". Furthermore, if an outbreak breaks out in the school, "the opportunity remains valid for the Prevention Departments to choose the control strategy for the protection of public health for each individual investigation of an epidemic outbreak in the school environment".
SCHOOL, VACCINATION OBLIGATION
In this context, it should be remembered that from 15 December the vaccination obligation will start for teachers, school managers and administrative technical staff. The decree provides for it super green pass approved on November 24 by the Council of Ministers.
Interested parties will have the opportunity to independently start the vaccination process or, alternatively, wait for the head teacher, having received the necessary documentation, to present a request to start the vaccination. Anyone who refuses the vaccine will be suspended from work.
