Israel to tests schoolchildren for COVID daily to allow in-class learning

New Education Ministry outline to be in place in all schools, regardless of morbidity rates in local authorities they belong to, to prevent students having to study remotely; rapid tests to be given to all students at the start of the day
Ynet|
Israel said Thursday it will all schoolchildren for COVID-19 on a daily basis to allow uninterrupted in-class learning.
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  • Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton said she had reached an agreement with the Health Ministry, on steps to reduce the need for distance learning, seen as detrimental to students.
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    היום הראשון ללימודים בבית ספר בית הכרם בירושלים
    היום הראשון ללימודים בבית ספר בית הכרם בירושלים
    An elementary school classroom in Jerusalem
    (Photo: AFP )
    According to the agreement, students will be given rapid tests in schools and only those found to have been infected by COVID or had come into direct contact with a confirmed patient, will be made to study remotely, regardless of morbidity figures in their respective communities.
    The minister said this will prevent some 6,000 classrooms from being made to study over Zoom.
    The new regulations are due to be in effect as of Sunday after the previous guidelines had sent children home in local authorities with high morbidity where less than 70% of students were vaccinated.
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    חיסון קורונה בצור הדסה
    חיסון קורונה בצור הדסה
    An elementary school student receives the COVID vaccine near Jerusalem
    (Photo: AFP)
    Health experts said the previous "Green Class" outline allowed only 91,000 students to study in class and led to mass contagion because of the credibility of rapid tests.
    They claimed students who were infected in class would then go home and infect their families and tests conducted ahead of time could prevent mass quarantines.
    Chair of the Knesset Education Committee Sharan Haskel said she would like to see a Green Class outline put in place with rapid testing at the start of every school day.
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