Despite the exponential increase in coronavirus cases in Europe due to the highly contagious Omicron mutation, European governments are now pursuing different tactics and with increased health protocols are choosing not to keep students away from their natural environment, ie schoolrooms.
In large countries such as France and Germany, students have already returned to their classes while other countries such as Spain and Italy are following in the same footsteps.
The summary image
The overall picture shows that schools open normally and live in the European Union in Germany (3/1), the France (3/1), the Spain (10/1), the Hungary (3/1), the Bulgaria (4/1), the Latvia (5/1), the Ireland (6/1), the Luxembourg (9/1), the Estonia (10/1), the Italy (10/1), the Netherlands (10/1), the Finland (10/1), the Belgium (10/1), the Slovakia (10/1), the Poland (10/1), the Malta (10/1), the Cyprus (10/1), as well as in Croatian, Lithuania, Sweden, Czech republic and Romania.
As schools reopen their doors and students return with different country-by-country classroom protocols, large agencies record the outbreak combined with the concern of several parents.
“Millions of children returned to school on Monday despite the uncontrolled transmission of Omicron among all ages in France and the record of 167,000 cases per day on average,” the French agency said in a telegram about the students’ return to class. In fact, the title of the telegram speaks of “amok” contagion of Omicron (Omicron runs amok in France).
Bloomberg for Ireland: Schools Open Despite Omicron Broadcast Record
Bloomberg is particularly focused on the case of Ireland, where, despite currently having the highest rate of Omicron transmission in Europe, “the children are scheduled to return to school on Thursday”.
For Germany, where schools in most states are also open from Monday, January 3, Bloomberg quotes government officials as saying “school closures are the last resort” (only as a last resort). Students in Berlin, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Brandenburg, Saxony and Rhineland-Palatinate returned to class on Monday.
Reuters for Spain: Political unanimity in favor of school opening
In Spain“Students return to school on Monday 10 January despite speculation that COVID-19 record cases would lead to distance learning,” Reuters said in a telegram from Madrid.
“Officials from the 17 Spanish regions, which have defined their own health policy, all voted in favor of returning to order on Tuesday in a rare show of unanimity in a country full of intense political differences,” Reuters reported.
“Extensive vaccination campaigns and studies showing that Omicron causes less severe symptoms have given authorities the opportunity to take a softer stance,” Bloomberg comments on the stance taken by most European countries.
Outside the EU, schools in Britain are reopening despite the ongoing outbreak of Omicron cases, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson stressing the importance of doing so for children themselves.
In Italy, despite voices in Italian regions calling for a postponement of at least 20 days, Prime Minister Mario Draghi appears determined not to postpone the students’ scheduled return to school on Monday.
The measures taken
The measures and protocols are similar. In the Belgium the measures include the mandatory mask, while in France Classes in one class will be interrupted if three positive students are found. And in Germany the mask with daily (free) tests is mandatory in the first week after the holidays, while from the next they return to the three tests. Distance learning is provided per school only if there are many cases.
In Italy The compulsory mask and test before returning to school also applies, while in the Netherlands a test twice a week is provided in primary and secondary education. In Portugal The schools are scheduled to open normally next week and a final government decision on possible additional measures is expected.
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