HelathMin says any suggestion for re-opening schools welcome

Health Minister Nelu Tataru said on Wednesday that any suggestion is "welcome" to draft health safety measures in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Any suggestion is welcome. (...) That epidemiological triage or that observational triage that the parent does at home must be made known to all who mean school medicine and also to the teacher or professor who manages that group of children. We need to think about the health of the whole classroom and of the whole group of students who are attending school," the minister said.

A draft ministerial order approving health safety measures in educational units during the COVID-19 pandemic was published on the website of the Ministry of Health on Tuesday.

Under the draft, the public health directorates must inform by September 7 the school inspectorates and the committees on emergency management about the epidemiological situation at the level of each school according to which measures will be taken for the beginning of school.

The school inspectorates are to propose for approval to the committees on emergency management the operational scenario for each educational unit in accordance with the epidemiological situation on September 7, the existing infrastructure and resources in each educational unit.

When three confirmed cases of COVID-19 disease occur in different classrooms of the same school, in-person classes will be suspended for 14 days of the start date of the last case.

In classrooms, physical distancing of one metre between the students has to be secured or providing benches with separators where distancing is not possible, establishing functional circuits, organising recreational spaces, assessing the necessary human resources; cleaning, hygiene and disinfection materials are needed, a stockpile of protective materials for students and staff, to which staff training is added.

Students and teaching/ancillary/non-teaching staff will wear face masks both during class and during breaks.

The protective mask will be mandatory for students during outdoor recreation, in crowded spaces, when a distance of at least one metre between students is not ensured. Protective mask is not mandatory for preschoolers.

The healthcare workers performing the triage according to Joint Order 1668/5298/2011 and WHO 653/2001 will wear waterproof gowns, caps, goggles/face shields, surgical masks, and disposable gloves.