Take-out meals may be offered to pupils and places such as party halls or gymnasiums may be used in place of dining halls when the rules of distancing and limitation of brewing cannot be ensured. Update on measures for school catering.
What are the new measures in the canteen?
Since the start of 2022, the spread of the coronavirus has increased and has forced the National Education to take additional measures. In its new school health protocol updated on January 6, the ministry recommendsuse other spaces than the premises usually dedicated to school catering such as outdoor spaces, gymnasiums or party halls, when the rules of distancing and limiting the brewing cannot be properly ensured. As a last resort, students may also be offered take-out meals. (if possible by alternating cold meals, take-out, and hot meals in the canteen for the students on a rotating basis every other day).
Since December 9, the school health protocol has gone from level 2 to level 3 in primary schools, to limit the impact of the 5th wave. This measure translates into canteens by limiting the mixing of students from different classes, class groups or levels since December 13. Particular attention is paid to air renewal in canteens and hand hygiene, and the use of CO2 sensors is recommended. Hydro-alcoholic solution dispensers are also available at the entrance to the refectory of middle and high schools. Concretely, the same students must have lunch every day at the same table and must respect a distance of at least two meters with those of other classes. They are offered platters, cutlery, water and plate or platter dressing, and bulk food offers are no longer available.
The different levels of the health protocol for the school canteen:
the school health protocol for the start of the school year, posted on July 28 provides for different scenarios for the school catering, with temporary adaptations, allowing all students to receive a complete and balanced meal on a daily basis. Generally, “the time slots and the number of services are adapted so as to limit the flows and the occupancy density and to allow the limitation of the mixing“specifies the Ministry of National Education. Entrances and exits will also be separated to the extent possible. Finally, the chairs should be arranged so that students are not seated face to face or side by side. When possible, they can be staggered. Here are the measures to be observed in the canteen according to the levels, level 3 being the one retained since December 6 in primary schools, in mainland France.
- level 1 (green level): the spaces are arranged in order to obtain the greatest possible distance between the students at the table,
- level 2 (yellow level) : The stability of the groups is sought and, as far as possible, the same pupils eat every day at the same table in the first stage. It is recommended to organize an individual service (trays, cutlery, water, serving on the plate or on the tray);
- level 3 (orange) and level 4 (red) : The stability of the groups is sought and, as far as possible, the same students eat lunch every day at the same table in the first stage, maintaining a distance of at least two meters from those of the other classes. An individual service is set up (trays, cutlery, water, serving on the plate or on the tray), bulk food offers are prohibited;
- For levels 3 and 4, when the distancing or mixing rules cannot be respected, other rooms can be used such as party rooms, gymnasiums, etc.
- As a last resort, the school may offer take-out meals, if possible by alternating for the pupils the cold meals, to take away, and the hot meals in the canteen by establishing a rotation every other day.