From the age of 6, it is not necessary to wear a mask in the classroom when seated, but it is necessary when moving around the building and during school transport. Photo: Shutterstock

From the age of 6, it is not necessary to wear a mask in the classroom when seated, but it is necessary when moving around the building and during school transport. Photo: Shutterstock

Although the health measures in schools will undergo some changes at the start of the new school year, they will remain the same overall, with gradual measures depending on the presence of the virus. Here is a look at the measures to be followed.

The health measures in schools will be modified when the new school year starts: relaxation of the rules on wearing masks, no quarantine measures for vaccinated pupils, reinforcement of weekly testing...

However, on the whole, the health measures presented on Thursday 2 September by the minister of national education, (DP), remain identical for primary and secondary education, with gradual measures according to the scenarios for the spread of the virus.

Basic scenario: no positive cases in the class

Cycle 1 (3 to 5 years)

- No masking;

- 2 self-tests per week at home.

Cycle 2 and beyond (6 years and older)

- No masks are worn in class, but masks are required when moving around the building and on school transport;

- 2 self-tests per week at school for basic education, and 1 test at school and 1 test at home for secondary education.

Scenarios 1 and 2: one or two positive cases in a class

Cycle 1 (3-5 years)

- No masking;

- isolation in scenario 1 and quarantine without leave in scenario 2.

Cycle 2 and beyond (6 years and older)

- Masks must be worn;

- vaccinated or recovered students: no quarantine;

- pupils neither vaccinated nor recovered: quarantine with permission to leave school and education and care services (permission to leave subject to participation in enhanced testing every 48 hours at school); release from quarantine with negative PCR test after day 6 (either by LNS mobile team or by prescription); normal functioning of school and education and care services maintained.

Scenario 3: three to five positive cases in a classroom

. Cycle 1 (3-5 years)

- No masking;

- quarantine with no release time.

. Cycle 2 and above (6 years and above)

- Vaccinated or recovered students: no quarantine and mask required;

- Pupils neither vaccinated nor recovered: quarantine and release from quarantine with a negative PCR test after day 6 (on prescription).

Scenario 4: Chain of infection in a school: several classes are involved and/or one class has more than five positive cases

Cycle 1 (3 to 5 years)

- No masking;

- quarantine without permission to go out.

Cycle 2 and above (6 years and above)

- Additional measures proposed by the Covid-19 and Education Steering Committee to the Director of Health depending on the health situation;

- The Covid-19 and Education Steering Committee continues to analyse the health situation on a regular basis and to select reinforcement measures at local, regional or national level depending on the health situation.

Originally published in French by and translated for Delano