This is the document back to school discussed by the Government and the CC AA: face-to-face classes, mask for 6 years …

The closure of schools in the communities will be a measure that “will only be adopted in exceptional situations” caused by the impact of the pandemic, after informing Health and prior agreement with the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System. “

This is indicated by the draft on the start of the school year that the Government – the Ministers of Education, Health and Territorial Policy – presented this Thursday in a Multisectoral Conference to the autonomous communities and to which Efe has had access.

“The educational centers will remain open throughout the school year ensuring canteen services , as well as educational support for minors with special needs or belonging to socially vulnerable families, as long as the epidemiological situation allows it, based on the indications of the health authorities “, emphasizes the Executive.

In addition, he recalled that “the available evidence indicates that the closure of educational centers, as an isolated measure, has little probability of being effective in controlling transmission .”

And that “the possibility of the closure of educational centers in certain areas, as an instrument to fight against Covid-19, may lead to the displacement of part of the students and families to other geographical areas where the academic activity in its usual format , with the consequent risk of virus transmission “.

These are the measures proposed in the draft that is being debated :

– In order to avoid the impact (…) that a generalized suspension of face- to- face teaching activity may have unilaterally l by a community or autonomous city, this measure will only be adopted in exceptional situations, prior communication to the Minister of Health and prior agreement of the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System, and accompanied by others that reduce the referred negative impact.

– The staff working in the educational center will reduce their stay in the center to the essential, promoting the telematic realization of all those non-teaching activities that allow it.

– A group will be set up to coordinate and monitor the evolution of the pandemic by the competent departments for Health and Education at the regional level.

– All educational centers will designate a person responsible for aspects related to Covid.

– In general, an interpersonal distance of at least 1.5 meters will be maintained in interactions between people in the educational center.

– The use of the mask will be mandatory from 6 years of age regardless of the maintenance of interpersonal distance, without prejudice to the exemptions provided in the legal system.

– In early childhood education and in the first cycle of primary education, the organization of the students will be established, in general, in groups with stable coexistence , in which distance criteria will not be applied.

– Activities in the educational center that involve a mix of students from different coexistence groups or classes, as well as those that require special proximity, will be avoided .

– Sporting events or celebrations that take place in educational centers will be held without public attendance.

– Frequent and meticulous hand hygiene will be carried out at least at the entrance and exit of the educational center, before and after the playground, eating and always after going to the toilet, and in any case a minimum of five times a day .

– Students will receive health education to enable proper hand hygiene and respiratory hygiene and the proper use of the mask.

– The facilities of the center will be ventilated frequently , at least for 10-15 minutes at the beginning and end of the day, during recess, and whenever possible between classes, keeping the windows open as long as possible.

– The dining rooms, or alternative spaces enabled for meals, will allow interpersonal distance of at least 1.5 meters , except in the case of belonging to the same stable coexistence group. Fixed positions will be assigned throughout the year for students and tightness will be guaranteed in the case of stable coexistence groups.

– In collective school transport, the use of a mask will be mandatory from 6 years of age , without prejudice to the exemptions provided for in the legal system and recommended for girls and boys from 3 to 5 years old.

– Faced with the appearance of cases in the educational center: avoid the attendance to the center of symptomatic people , early isolation and referral to the health system of people with symptoms, maintenance of the activity taking extreme precautions until confirming or ruling out the infection in the symptomatic person, quarantine of close contacts under the terms decided by the community’s Public Health unit.

– The educational center will inform that students with any acute symptoms cannot access the educational center .

– The body temperature of all students and staff will be taken prior to the start of the day . Each educational center will arrange the way to carry out this obligation, avoiding in any case crowds and ensuring the maintenance of interpersonal distance of at least 1.5 meters 20.

– Workers vulnerable to COvid-19 will maintain rigorous protection measures .

– Prioritize as far as possible the use of outdoor spaces .

– In the educational stages higher than the first cycle of Primary Education, students may likewise organize themselves into stable coexistence groups as far as possible.

– Prioritize communication with families by telephone, email, messages or ordinary mail , facilitating administrative procedures electronically.

– Citizens will be recommended to prioritize active transport (walking or cycling) on ​​safe routes to school as a mobility option that better guarantees interpersonal distance, being also a healthier option and avoiding sharing closed spaces.

– Take actions to prevent stigma or discrimination in relation to Covid-19, taking special care of situations of greater emotional and social vulnerability that may have occurred as a consequence of this pandemic.

-Workers will be informed and trained on the risks of contagion and spread of Covid-19 , with special attention to the transmission routes and the prevention and protection measures adopted in the center.

– Carrying out training activities and modalities in non-educational centers will meet the prevention and control criteria established for the corresponding sector.

– The autonomous communities and cities will make the necessary effort to achieve the objectives set for the influenza vaccination campaign , that is, to achieve or exceed vaccination coverage of 75% in the elderly, preferably from 65 years of age, and in the health and social health personnel, as well as exceeding 60% in pregnant women and in people with risk conditions.

– The start of the vaccination campaign will be carried out in a coordinated manner in all autonomous communities and cities in the first half of October.