School resumes after the winter holidays break

The winter holidays are over, so starting Monday pupils have returned to schools and nursery schools. According to the calendar adopted by the Education Ministry, the current school year is divided into five modules followed by 5 holidays. The next holiday can be planned by school inspectorates in the February 6-26 period. Beyond strictly administrative details, the top concern is the current epidemiological context. Last week the Health Ministry declared a state of epidemiological alert in the context of large numbers of flu infection. Jointly with the Education Ministry, the Health Ministry also issued a series of recommendations designed to prevent the spread of the virus in schooling units. 

School managers need to inform parents or legal guardians regarding the symptoms of flu and other respiratory infections in order to help conduct epidemiological triage upon entering schools. Parents are asked to keep their children home if they display related symptoms and refer to their family physicians or pediatric specialists. A daily triage will be performed on a daily basis at the start of each school shift. Triage will be performed on observation basis in units that do not employ medical staff, whereas those that do can perform the triage with their help. Hand and surface sanitizers must be made available in every unit, in addition to ensuring periodical ventilation of classrooms and instructing children regarding sanitary etiquette for coughing and sneezing. 

The Education Ministry has called on school inspectors to help keep schools open and focus on prevention. Minister Ligia Deca pointed out that the ministry encourages continuous class participation. After two years of pandemic, it is important to keep up the pace and ensure high levels of class attendance, the Romanian official added. We recall Romania did not have the best experience with online classes during the COVID pandemic. For this reason, in the context of growing numbers of infections with flu and other seasonal viruses, it is advisable all children are provided with access to education. In the event they display symptoms associated with respiratory infections, they should be isolated at home and subsequently catch up with school curricula. (VP)