contact case, Covid self-tests … What has changed again

COVID PROTOCOL. Jean Castex announced Monday, January 11 a new evolution of the health protocol against the coronavirus at school. The PCR test is no longer required in the event of contact.

The health protocol had been modified last week, but it remained too demanding and exposed students as parents to endless waits in front of laboratories or pharmacies to perform a Covid test: Jean Castex therefore made new changes to the rules that prevail in the event contact case in a school. The Prime Minister announced three new simplifications, here is what is changing again and which comes into force without delay:

• When a case of Covid is declared in a classroom, parents can wait until the end of the day to pick up the children in contact cases.
• The logic of the three tests for children in contact is maintained, but they are now three self-tests, while the first was until now to be a PCR or antigen test performed by a professional. These three self-tests must be carried out on D-0, on D + 2 and on D + 4. The three self-tests are free, on presentation of a certificate issued by the school, available in pharmacies.
• It is no longer necessary to provide a certificate after each test. A single sworn certificate is sufficient, from the first Covid self-test, for a return to class.

The deadlines and principles of the new school health protocol

While primary schools have gone into level 3 health protocol instead of level 2 at the end of the Defense Health Council of 6 December (from yellow to orange), the Minister of Education Jean-Michel Blanquer had formalized a new version of the school health protocol on January 2 which had been immediately lightened on January 7, 2022: since that date, the Classes no longer close when a case of Covid or even several is declared in a class, whether in schools, college or high school. If a new positive case is identified in a class within a period of less than 7 days, the students no longer have to repeat the course of the 3 tests in 5 days. New contact-tracing measures were put in place which were simplified again on January 10:

Positive cases and contact cases

What to do if a child is positive for the coronavirus or if there is contact with a positive student in his class? The government has summarized the “contact-tracing” protocol for all departments, regardless of the level of the protocol. Remember this for children over 12 years old:

• When a child is positive with a complete vaccination: isolation for 5 days, if the test carried out on the 5th day is negative and in the absence of symptoms for 48 hours, isolation for 7 days otherwise.
• When a child is positive without vaccination or with incomplete vaccination: only 7 days, if the test carried out on the 7th day is negative and in the absence of symptoms for 48 hours, isolation for 10 days otherwise.
• When a child is in contact with complete vaccination: no isolation, immediate self-test and on D + 2 and D + 4.
• When a child is in contact without vaccination or with incomplete vaccination: isolation for 7 days, self-test after isolation

For children under 12, these rules apply:

• When a child is positive, regardless of the vaccination status: isolation for 5 days if the self-test performed on the 5th day is negative and in the absence of symptoms for 48 hours, isolation for 7 days otherwise.
• When a child is in contact, regardless of the vaccination status: he can stay in class if the self-test is negative on D-0 and if the self-tests carried out on D + 2 and D + 4 are also negative thereafter.

Four levels of school health protocol

At the start of the school year in September, quatre more or less demanding health protocols have been established by the Ministry of National Education. They vary depending on theevolution of the epidemic situation.

• Wearing a mask compulsory indoors and outdoors, for students, staff and teachers
• Physical education and sports classes to be organized outdoors as much as possible
• Limitation of mixing between pupils of different groups. The ministry specifies that “the non-mixing between pupils of different classes must imperatively be respected during the restoration.” This amounts to having the children eat lunch “every day at the same table in the first degree, maintaining a distance of at least two meters from those of the other classes.”
• Reinforced cleaning and disinfection of premises and equipment, which involves in particular cleaning and disinfection of the dining hall tables, “at a minimum, after each service and, if possible, after each meal”.
• recess should, as for level 2, be organized in groups. “In the event of significant organizational difficulties, they can be replaced by break time in class,” said the ministry.

Here is a summary of the health protocol by level. The measures are classified under “reception doctrine”, “health protocol”, “physical and sports activities”, “contact-tracing protocol“:

• Since the beginning of January 2022, the classes no longer close after one or even three cases of Covid as was the case until the end of 2021. At levels 1, 2 and 3 of the protocol, the reception of all students is done in face-to-face.
• A hybridization, that is to say a simultaneous use of face-to-face and distance learning for two parts of the same class is possible in high school when necessary, in level 3 establishments
• This hybridization can be organized in high school and in the 4th and 3rd year of college with a staff limit of 50, when the establishment is classified as level 4.

• In establishments placed in level 1 or green, wearing a mask is compulsory indoors from middle school and “the rules relating to the wearing of a mask outdoors in the general population are respected”.
• In level 2 or yellow establishments, wearing a mask is compulsory indoors from elementary school and “the rules relating to the wearing of a mask outdoors in the general population are respected”, specifies the website of the ministry.
• In level 3 or 4 establishments, therefore in the orange or red zone, wearing a mask is compulsory indoors and outdoors for all students from elementary school to high school.
• It is, since February 1, a “category 1” mask (and not category 2, less effective) which must be worn by everyone in order to limit the mixing of the virus.

• A distance of one meter is recommended for students of different classes in kindergarten (the distance of one meter does not apply within the same class), and all students in all areas in elementary / middle school / high school (except the canteen where the rule is reinforced, see below).
• One exception in elementary / college / high school: a distance of one meter is not compulsory outside for pupils of the same group.
• The course of the day and the school activities must “limit crossings between pupils of different groups (class, groups of classes or level)”. From level 2, the restriction of mixing between pupils of different groups (class, groups of classes or level) is required.
• “When non-mixing between classes is not possible (especially in Première, Terminale), the limitation of mixing applies by level”, indicates the text.

• At level 1, the dining room must be arranged so that there is the greatest possible distance between the students.
• At level 2, groups of students should stay the same and eat at the same table every day if possible. As for the service, the ministry recommends organizing it individually.
• At levels 3 and 4, a distance of at least two meters between pupils of different classes must be respected for first-level pupils in addition to the restrictions mentioned in level 2. The self-service of bulk food is prohibited.

• Physical and sports activities are allowed indoors and outdoors in level 1 establishments.
• For level 2 establishments, the practice of outdoor sport should be preferred, but it can take place indoors when the situation requires it, provided that respect a distance of two meters.
• At level 3, the sport must be practiced outdoors and if the situation does not allow it, the practice can be done indoors under conditions of respect the two-meter distance and practice a low-intensity sport compatible with wearing a mask.
• In level 4 establishments, the practice of sport can only be done outdoors, it is banned indoors.

• It must be carried out as a minimum: on arrival at the school or establishment
• before and after each meal
• before and after recess
• after going to the toilet
• in the evening before returning home or upon arrival at home.

• Every hour
• For a few minutes
• The protocol also calls for ensuring the proper functioning of mechanical ventilation if it exists.
• The key moments defined for airing are “in the morning before the arrival of the pupils, during intercourse, during each recess, at lunch time (in the absence of people) and during the cleaning of the premises”.

The sanitary protocol requires that floors and large surfaces (tables, desks) be cleaned at least once a day as well as disinfectant cleaning of the surfaces most frequently touched by students and staff in rooms, workshops and other common areas, especially the door handles. For this second point, it is the recurrence of cleaning which differs according to the level of the establishment.

• At least once a day on level 1. The dining hall tables are cleaned and disinfected, at least, after each service.
• Several times a day on level 2. The dining hall tables are cleaned and disinfected, at a minimum, after each service.
• Several times a day on levels 3 and 4, but here the dining hall tables are cleaned and disinfected, at a minimum, after each service and, if possible, after each meal.

On what basis is the school health protocol drawn up?

Finally, in terms of the development of the health protocol, the member of the government pointed out three “benchmarks”:

• the HAS (High Authority for Health)
• the Scientific Council
• the French Society of Pediatrics

And to specify that “at the ministry, a Covid-19 team brings together all the competent people: medical consultant, secretary general, agents liaising with the Ministry of Health. It is the health authorities who provide the information, then we discuss the feasibility. ” On whether or not to call on private firms, Jean-Michel Blanquer replied: “This is not the case in our ministry, for the management of the Covid crisis”.