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The government is defending a new quarantine program for school and kindergarten workers.
– It is bad that teachers will be quarantined during their free time until spring, according to the Education Association. The government has made it clear that all workers kindergartens and schools should be given priority for a refresher dose. Said Secretary of State Halvard Hølleland (Labour) at the Ministry of Education in an email to NTB.
Indicates that workers who took the refreshment will be released from quarantine due to close contact. Which occurs more than one week after the last dose.
Broad criticism
On Monday, the government announced that from January 1, school and kindergarten employees will be released from infectious quarantine during working hours. Employees who have had close contact with an infected person can go to work, but must be tested on the third and seventh days after the close contact.
The program met with clear criticism from both the Education Association, the Teachers' Association and the National School Association.
- As I perceive the new regulations, teachers and kindergarten staff are released from quarantine during working hours, but must be quarantined during their free time. Thanks to this, we can get to a situation in which they will be at work, but will be in quarantine during their free time. Deputy leader Hege Valås of the NTB Educational Association said Monday night.
- Unreasonable and illogical
Valås says the Education Association understands the government's desire to keep schools and kindergartens open.
- The rule is still unreasonable and illogical, because employees in schools and kindergartens may be close contacts with pupils and children in kindergartens on a daily basis. At the same time, they have to be in quarantine during their free time, so that, for example, they are prevented from picking up their own children from kindergarten, she says.
The Norwegian Lecturers' Association believes that being released from quarantine only while working is a bad solution and asks the government to reconsider.
- We received some strong reactions from our members this evening, says leader Rita Helgesen of the Norwegian Lecturers Association in a statement to NTB.
Third dose on the way
“The regulation actually means they send all staff to high-infection schools and kindergartens without infection control equipment. Union leader Mette Johnsen Walker speaking to the NTB.
Hølleland at the Ministry of Education and Research believes many workers will be released from quarantine anyway. Because they'll get a refreshing dose of the vaccine soon.
In the New Year, many more employees are expected to meet the requirements for a refreshment dose. This means that at least 2 months have passed from dose 4,5. An estimate from the FHI says 146 workers will be ready for vaccination by the 000nd week of January, he says.
Source: NTB
Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB
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