Brussels (Brussels Morning) The editorial staff of BX1 News has obtained the circulars distributed by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, which outline the sanitary conditions in schools.
In basic education
In the circular issued by the cabinet of the Minister of Education, Caroline Désir (PS) recalls that “considering the rapid increase in contaminations observed in recent days due to the emergence of the Omicron variant, Codeco has decided to confirm the return to school on January 10, 100% face-to-face”.
Nevertheless, several measures remain applicable until January 28, at least. Wearing a mask indoors, constant attention to ventilation (and the installation of CO2 detectors), and an invitation to parents to carry out self-tests on their children before the start of the January 10 school year, and then once a week.
The fact remains that the consultation committee of January 6 now allows one-day school trips in accordance with the rules in force in society and within the reception sector of the activity. Those with overnight stays remain suspended until the Carnival holiday.
What about secondary schools?
As for secondary education (and artistic secondary with reduced hours ESAHR), the re-entry also takes place 100% face-to-face, with the maintenance of ventilation measures (and CO2 detectors), wearing of the mask inside for staff and students, and the invitation to self-tests, as in the fundamental.
In secondary schools too, one-day school trips are again authorized.
The adapted testing and tracing strategy
Likewise, the circulars distributed by the Federation recall that “the CIM Santé, considering the high contagiousness of the Omicron variant but also its various specific characteristics, has decided to considerably adapt the testing and tracing strategy in society and in communities.”
Thus, according to the directives of the Interministerial Conference of January 5, in the fundamental:
– the children of a class are considered as low-risk contacts in the event of contamination of a pupil (given there is wearing of the mask and the ventilation).
– If a high-risk contact has taken place outside the classroom and the child is in quarantine, they can leave going to school. Nevertheless, the ministers clarified this Saturday that after a high-risk contact within the family, the children will remain in quarantine.
– if there are four or more cases in a class (symptomatic or not), it is quarantined for five days.
And in secondary education:
– the emergency brake (the threshold from which a class is closed) is eliminated.
– the rules to be observed in the event of high-risk contact are modulated according to the pupil’s vaccination status.