This is the new recommendation for this start of the school year. Tests in primary schools should be more generalized and more regular than what is planned by National Education, otherwise the start of the school year could be “very complex”, with repeated closings of classes, according to the Scientific Council.
“In this unvaccinated population, the risk of intense circulation of the virus at the start of the school year is very high, and the rule of closing classes from the first case could make the reopening of the primary very complex, especially in the event of repeated closure” ‘the same class, warns the government council in an alert note.
The target of 600,000 weekly tests insufficient
Also, he “regrets the abandonment of screening (generalized screening or better reactive screening of the class when a case is detected)” which would help achieve the objective “of keeping classes and schools open in order to preserve education. and children’s mental health ”, in the document submitted to the government on August 20, updated Wednesday and posted online Friday.
The Minister of National Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer, announced Thursday “a target of 600,000 weekly saliva tests” in primary schools, which welcome around 4 million students.
Based on a recent modeling study, the Council indicates that “a bi-weekly screening” with “a membership of 50% of the school population (…) would make it possible to keep the classes open if the infants found infected are returned to their homes. “.
The health pass is not an “absolute protection” against contamination
“The studies carried out show that above 50%, there is a value to be screened on a regular basis”, underlined Wednesday the president of the Scientific Council Jean-François Delfraissy, on France 2. “In adolescents, screening could also bring a significant benefit for the control of the epidemic, especially since it will be practiced in a partially vaccinated population (greater than 50%) and where the efforts to be made to control the virus circulation will actually be less important, ”the note said.
In the same note, the advisory body also warns that the sanitary pass “should not be understood or implemented as absolute protection against contamination”. It “does not exempt” from “respecting the barrier gestures as much as possible” such as distancing, ventilating the premises and wearing a mask, “in particular for people most at risk”, he adds. .