How to reconcile back to school and new wave due to Delta variant? Israel announced Monday to set up anti-coronavirus vaccination stands in schools at the start of the school year to strengthen the immunity of the youngest, in a context of increased contamination in the country which allows vaccination from 12 years old.
“Subject to parental authorization”
Students “will be vaccinated on school premises during school hours, subject to parental authorization,” the Israeli government said, with the start of the school year now on September 1.
Students under 12 will need to show parental consent to be tested for the coronavirus.
In localities with a high rate of contamination, high schools will have to ensure that 70% of the students in a class have been vaccinated. Otherwise, the courses will have to be done online, according to the government statement.
The Hebrew state has recorded for a few weeks an increase in contaminations linked to the spread of the Delta variant, after having been one of the first countries to launch a vast vaccination campaign in December, then to authorize this summer the administration of a third dose of vaccine for people 40 years of age and over.
Only 30% of 12-15 year olds fully vaccinated
About 30% of adolescents aged 12-15 received two doses of the vaccine, a lower percentage than other categories of the population, according to the authorities.
The country launched on Sunday a campaign of serological tests for children three years and over, in order to study, before the start of the school year, the antibodies developed by these children and thus to know if they have already been contaminated.
Those who have developed enough antibodies will not be forced to self-isolate if exposed to an infected person, limiting problems in schools, authorities said. In total, more than 990,000 contaminations have been officially recorded in Israel, including more than 6,800 deaths. More than 5.4 million people received two doses of the vaccine, 58% of the population, and some 1.2 million a third.