Covid-19: the scientific council recommends more screening in schools to avoid class closures – archyde

Testing for Covid-19 in primary schools should be generalized and more regular than what is planned by the Ministry of National Education, otherwise the start of the school year could be ” very complex “, with repeated class closures, advocates the scientific advice in an alert note made public on Friday August 27.

“In this unvaccinated population, the risk of intense circulation of the virus at the start of the school year is very high and the rule of closing classes from the first case could make the reopening of the primary very complex, especially in the event of closure” repeated from the same class, warns the government advisory body in its alert note.

Also it “Regrets the abandonment of screening [généralisé ou plus réactif dans la classe lors d’un cas détecté] “, which would help achieve the goal “To keep classes and schools open in order to preserve the education and mental health of children”, according to the document submitted to the government on August 20, updated Wednesday and posted online Friday.

“The health pass does not exempt from barrier gestures”

Thursday, the Minister of National Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer, announced “A target of 600,000 weekly saliva tests” in primary schools, which have around 4 million pupils. Based on a recent modeling study, the council explains that“Bi-weekly screening” with “A membership of 50% of the school population (…) would keep classes open if found infants are returned to their homes ”.

“The studies carried out show that above 50% there is a value to be screened on a regular basis”, underlined the president of the scientific council, Jean-François Delfraissy, Wednesday on France 2. “In adolescents, screening could also bring a significant benefit for the control of the epidemic, especially since it will be practiced in a partially vaccinated population (greater than 50%) and where the efforts to be made to control the circulation of the virus will therefore be less important ”, according to the note.

The health pass “Should not be understood or implemented as absolute protection against contamination”, warns the consultative moment in the same document. He “Does not exempt” of “Respect barrier gestures as much as possible”, such as physical distancing, ventilation of the premises and wearing a mask, “Especially for people most at risk”, he adds.