QUESTIONS and ANSWERS: Schools will work anew! You do not need a test, drapes are mandatory – Tops

The Ministry of Education has set up a new one COVID manual for schools. Its goal is to maintain a safe environment in schools and school facilities. Therefore, the directors will have to inform the ministry about the current epidemiological situation. The school traffic light now has three colors – green, orange and red. We have compiled an overview of the most important things that will apply to the new school year.

QUESTIONS and ANSWERS Lockdown, drape, fitness or entry into operations: The third wave after the new! How will we work?

1. Will schools still be closed?

Not. Schools will no longer close across the board. According to the new COVID automaton, even in the event of a worsening of the epidemiological situation, the full-time form of education will be enabled for all grades of all types of schools in all colors of districts. Principals and founders will not be able to decide and close the whole school, but only to interrupt the classroom (or classes).

Source: Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sports of the Slovak Republic

If there is a positive student or staff member in the class, students in the class will go to a 14-day quarantine, except for those who apply for a quarantine exemption. If all students in the class apply for an exemption from quarantine, the teaching will not be interrupted. After confirming a positive case, the school also goes into the orange phase according to the school traffic light and follows the instructions.

You can read more information about the individual phases in the SCHOOL SEMAFORE >>

2. In which cases is the exemption from quarantine applicable?

Exemption from quarantine in case of a positive person in the class can be applied by students who have overcome the disease in the last 180 days (based on PCR test, antigen test, antibody test), fully vaccinated students or students vaccinated with the 1st dose within 180 days of overcoming the disease. If a student or staff member complies with the quarantine exemption, the Ministry recommends that the parent or staff member inform the school via the “quarantine exemption notification” form. If the student is in quarantine, he should have distance education.

3. How do quarantines and isolation work?

Quarantine applies to a person who is suspected of having COVID-19 and has been identified as having close contact or showing signs of the disease. If a coronavirus positive person appears in a pupil’s household, only that pupil remains in quarantine. His class continues in full-time teaching. If a person in the household is in quarantine of the pupil (there is close contact with the positive), the pupil can go to school until the coronavirus is confirmed in the parent. The parent is obliged to report the student’s quarantine to the pediatrician, who supervises his quarantine.

Isolation is for a person who has tested positive for coronavirus. The person has limited mobility and is separated from others in the home environment or in a dedicated facility.

4. What must the pupil and student meet before starting school?

On the first start of school and after each interruption of school, which lasts 3 or more consecutive days (including weekends and holidays), the parent must submit a “written declaration of asymptomatic status”. A student with symptoms must stay home. If the parent cannot rule out symptoms, contact the pediatrician.

The parent should provide the child with a minimum of two drapes for each day (a child must carry a spare if necessary) and disposable paper towels.

5. Does the student have to be tested before starting school?

Not. At the beginning of the school year, the ministry will allow voluntary testing of pupils in schools, while primary schools and special primary schools have the option of PCR testing by gargling tests. The possibility of PCR testing by gargling tests can be used by all students, both vaccinated and those who have overcome COVID. Pupils of secondary schools (including 8-year grammar schools), special secondary schools, vocational schools and practical schools can use the possibility of home self-testing with antigen tests at the beginning of the school year.

The ministry recommends home self-testing on Monday (August 30) and Thursday morning (September 2) before starting school. Each student whose parent shows interest will receive a set of 25 tests for home testing. In case of a positive result, the pupil stays at home and the parent contacts the pediatrician and notifies the school that the pupil has had a positive test.

6. Am I entitled to nursing care (OČR) as a parent?

Yes. A parent is entitled to nursing allowance (OČR) if the school principal or the regional public health office has decided to interrupt teaching in the pupil’s class up to the age of 11, or if the application requires full-time treatment on the basis of a pediatrician’s certificate. If the parent leaves the student at home on the basis of his / her own decision, he / she does not have the right to the Czech Republic.

7. Do we have to wear a veil in schools?

Yes. The obligation to wear a veil continues to apply in all schools and school facilities. Exceptions are only children under 6 years of age, children in kindergartens, children undergoing compulsory pre-school education in registered non-networked facilities, pupils with severe autism spectrum disorders, pupils with hearing impairments or with moderate and severe mental disabilities and teachers of these pupils. For more information on the obligation to cover your upper respiratory tract, see Decree of ÚVZ SR.

8. Do we have to set up an isolation room in a school or school facility?

Yes. An isolation room needs to be set up this year as well, to accommodate a person with symptoms of an illness or other infectious disease. It should have an area of at least 15 m2 and direct ventilation. After the person leaves the room, they must be disinfected.

9. The director, resp. representative or a person authorized by him

Yes. The principal is obliged to regularly report information about the situation in the school through online form to the Ministry every Monday or without delay in any change in the situation at school due to the occurrence of a coronavirus.

10. Can outdoor schools, trips or ski lessons be organized?

The Ministry does not recommend organizing such events, as such events are governed by the COVID machine and the rules for mass events. If the situation worsens, there is a risk of their cancellation. If the school nevertheless decides to organize these events, it should think about the costs associated with a possible cancellation and at the same time minimize class mixing. The same goes for ribbon festivities. There is a risk of their reduction or cancellation, especially if students are not fully vaccinated.

11. What if the classroom director, despite the confirmed case of COVID-19, does not interrupt teaching? Does he have a right to do that?

If a student or employee positive for COVID-19 appears in the class, students from the class go to the 14-day quarantine on the basis of a decree of the Public Health Office of the Slovak Republic (except for those who apply for the quarantine exemption). Unless the principal interrupts teaching, the regional public health office will do so.

12. Does the school have to do a morning filter (temperature measurement)?

The morning filter is mandatory under the Act on the Protection, Promotion and Development of Public Health by the kindergarten. For other types of schools, we strongly recommend performing a morning filter in all colors of the COVID vending machine districts.

13. What if the school decides to measure the temperature and the child, resp. does the parent refuse to have the temperature measured?

If the principal decides that the temperature will be measured at the entrance, it is binding for the students. If the child / parent refuses to have the temperature measured, such a person is treated as if he or she had symptoms of COVID-19. If the student came to the school accompanied by a parent, the child goes home accompanied by the parent, if he does not come with the parent, it is necessary to place the student in an isolation room and contact the parent immediately.

14. Can gymnastics be taught in a gym?

The resort recommends organizing physical and sports education in case of favorable weather outdoors (school yard, school surroundings, park, etc.) in a form that does not represent an increased epidemiological risk of transmission of infectious disease COVID-19. However, if this is not possible, the Ministry recommends carrying out gymnastics in the interior with minimal mixing of classes. We recommend providing the school gym regime in accordance with COVID vending machine for sports.

15. Can sports competitions be organized?

Yes. Sports competitions can be organized depending on the pandemic situation in the district. The conditions of organization must be in accordance with the COVID vending machine for sports.

16. Will the school or school facility receive a financial injection to cover any costs?

Yes. The Ministry will provide schools with additional funding for the increased costs associated with ensuring the safe operation of schools during a pandemic. Kindergartens and special kindergartens will receive 5 euros per employee + 150 euros per school. Primary, special and secondary schools will receive 5 euros per pupil and 5 euros per employee. Schools will receive funding automatically before the start of the school year. they do not have to apply for additional funding.

The funds are earmarked for the costs of providing anti-epidemic measures. Thus, they can be used to provide protective equipment such as drapes, respirators, protective shields, disposable rubber gloves, disinfectants, means for ensuring the cleaning of contact surfaces and others. From the funds it is possible to provide disinfection not only on the hands, but also on the school premises.

17. When foreign students come to the dormitory, do the dormitory have to set aside quarantine rooms for them?

Not. The school boarding school does not have to set aside such a room for foreign students. He may do so if the operating conditions allow. However, the establishment of quarantine rooms cannot jeopardize compliance with other hygiene and epidemiological measures for the rest of the operation. Unless the boarding school sets up quarantine rooms, foreign pupils who do not meet the exceptions (fully vaccinated) must complete isolation when entering the territory of the Slovak Republic before entering the boarding school in non-boarding areas.