Last night, the coronavirus cabinet approved the plan for opening the school year, which includes vaccinations for pupils at schools during school hours, subject to parents' consent. Minister of Education Yifat Shasha-Biton (New Hope party) opposed vaccinations at schools, but said that she would accept the ministers' decision.
Under the plan, the school year will start on schedule next Wednesday, September 1. This includes all schools, both primary and high schools. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stressed that if there was a steep rise in morbidity, the cabinet would decide on preventative measures.
In cities designated "red'. i.e. with high rates of Covid-19 infection, in grades eight to twelve, study will take place at school if over 70% of the class has been vaccinated. If the proportion of pupils who have been vaccinated is lower, study will be online. Calculation of the proportion will include those who have recovered from Covid-19 and pupils with positive serological test results.
The state will distribute antigen test kits to pupils, and on the first day of school pupils aged up to twelve will be required to present confirmation from their parents that an antigen test has been carried out and that the result is negative.
Teaching staff at schools and kindergartens will be subject to "green tag" rules, meaning that they will have to show that they have been vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19, or have an up-to-date negative test for the disease. According to Ministry of Education figures, some 37,000 school staff have not yet been vaccinated. Shasha-Biton warned that the education system would have difficulty in coping with the shortfall.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on August 23, 2021
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