The new health protocol against Covid-19 in schools, published Thursday by the Minister of National Education,“is complicated”, notes this Friday on franceinfo the co-secretary general of the National Union of School and University Physicians (SNMSU-Unsa Education), Doctor Claudine Némausat. According to her, “we can’t get a coherent protocol”. In this context, “we can’t make sure that everyone is safe at school, maybe we have to ask ourselves other questions “, she believes.
franceinfo: Have you understood everything about the new protocol that will apply in schools, colleges and high schools?
Claudine Némausat: Yes, but it’s complicated. We have to go back to the tables, the files, the frequently asked questions … It is not easy for us as a doctor, but it is still something else for the principals of schools and the heads of establishment. Fortunately, it is already a big step that we no longer have to redo the entire test course when there is a second case detected in the same class the same week. Despite everything, it’s still a lot of tests to do for children.
Who are most exposed to this outbreak of the epidemic: teachers or children?
These are the children. I would like us to insist more on barrier gestures, but the media space is occupied by controversies over anti-vaccines. The level of protection has decreased since we see bronchiolitis, influenza, gastroenteritis when we did not see any more last winter. In middle and high schools, we see adolescents who wear masks very badly, like teachers. People are touching their masks and not washing their hands enough. There is all this basic hygiene protection and barrier gestures that should really be brought back to the fore.
Do you understand the call to strike launched by several teachers’ unions for January 13?
Insofar as we do not manage to obtain means of protection and coherent protocols which can put everyone in the shelter, it is true that, even if it is not a good thing for the children of not going to school, nor do I know if it’s a good thing for children to have tests done almost every week. With everything going on right now, we can’t make sure everyone is safe at school. So, indeed, maybe there are other questions to be asked.