The Norwegian Institute of Public Health, the Norwegian Directorate of Health and the Norwegian Directorate of Education have been commissioned to review all infection control guidelines for kindergartens, schools and adult education. The guide for high school students and adults is ready. The rest will appear next Thursday.
The current tips and recommendations are clearer in the new guide
Following a series of information from organizations, experts produced a separate infection control guide for upper secondary schools. In the new guide, the current tips and recommendations are clearer and easier to apply. School owner and school officials may, in consultation with local health authorities, consider using masks outside the classroom as an additional infection control measure for students and staff.
The organizations requested a separate guide for upper secondary schools
Until now, there was a joint infection control guide for middle and high schools. While they have a lot in common, there are some differences that are not clearly seen in today's guide. The organizations have requested a separate guide for the upper secondary schools they receive.
These are the changes and updates to the new Infection Control guide going into effect April 12, 2021:
- Knowledge about infection and the role of children and adolescents has been updated to the current situation in the case of mutant viruses
- The owner and the school authorities can. In consultation with local health institutes, recommend the use of face masks outside of class, for example during leisure and on the way to classrooms.
- In the red level, the number of contacts students have during the week should be halved from the yellow level. This means that classes in many places have to be divided into smaller groups, e.g. dividing a class in half.
- Clearer advice on close contacts to help identify who should be quarantined. Close contacts are people who have been less than 2 meters from the infected person for more than 15 minutes.
- A separate mention of infection control measures adapted to students with special needs, both in regular upper secondary and special schools
- Adult education has received its own recommendations separately
- The user's perspective has been better taken care of. Recommendations were made for student councils and the school's health service to be actively involved in planning infection control measures in the school.
- The responsibility of the school owner for infection control has been clarified
The basic advice is still the most important in the new guide
Staying at home when you are sick, keep your distance from yourself. Good hand hygiene and contact release agents are also effective against mutant variants of the virus.
The Infection Control Guide maintains a predictable traffic light system with green, yellow and red performance levels. The new guide explains what it takes to have a good enough distance at different levels.
The new guide will make it easier for schools to comply with infection control measures, says the Minister for Education and Integration
- Infection control guidelines with a color-coding system led to predictability and understandable structure. We have received feedback that there is a wide variation in the way in which they are complied with. Therefore, the introduction of the guide was a priority. The new guide will make it easier for schools to comply with infection control measures, says Education and Integration Minister Guri Melby.
Masks are recommended, but not in a didactic situation
– Infection control in secondary school is a challenge, because the students are older and bring together students from a larger geographical area. The oldest students are in a better position to use face masks properly, so face masks outside the classroom can be considered an additional infection control measure. For example, it can be important in common areas where traffic congestion can easily occur, Melby says.
A face mask should be voluntary for students and staff
If a face mask is recommended, it should be voluntary for students and staff if they wish to use it. The masks should be distributed to pupils free of charge. The government has made it clear that municipalities will be compensated for additional expenses as a result of the pandemic. This also applies to the cost of face masks.
Distance recommendations have recently been revised upwards
Face masks should not replace social distancing. Distancing advice has recently been revised upwards to keep a distance of 2 meters from other people wherever possible in public spaces. This does not apply kindergartens and schools, because it must be possible in practice. When distance cannot be maintained, it becomes even more important to reduce the number of close contacts.
Employee infection control
Schools are encouraged to limit contact between staff as much as possible. Online meetings are recommended. A home office is recommended for tasks that cannot be performed at school, in municipalities where a home office is recommended or required.
The new guide will come into effect on April 12, giving schools an extra week after Easter to make changes.
