No foreclosure to attend school for students who arrived in Italy from China and who do not exhibit coronavirus symptoms. A circular prepared by the Ministry of Health and issued by the Ministry of Education to the Regional School Offices and, through these, to the schools. The principals, grappling with this new emergency, had asked for clarification on what to do.
The circular provides, in particular, that for university students who have returned from China in the last 2 weeks, it is necessary "to monitor the possible onset of symptoms such as cough, fever, breathing difficulties; in case of the onset of symptoms call 1500 or the regional reference centers. ; protect the airway with a mask; avoid close contact until the definition of the health situation ". Indications that also apply to children and young people who attend primary and secondary schools. For them, moreover, the circular provides that school staff, teachers and non-teachers, "pay particular attention to favoring the adoption of behaviors aimed at reducing the possibility of contamination with secretions from the airways, also through objects (toys, pencils, etc.) ". Finally, the circular does not recommend student journeys to the affected areas.
The National Headquarters Association (PNA) solicited "precise indications" from the ministry. President Antonello Giannelli has in fact sent a letter to the Minister of Education Lucia Azzolina "asking her to provide indications on how schools must deal with the risk of contagion" by explaining "there are some cases of pupils / students who have recently gone to China and this is fueling the onset of widespread fears ", also with reference to possible acts of intolerance. This is the case, for example, of a Chinese parent - explains the president of the Lazio PNA Mario Rusconi - whose wife and two children had gone to China for the New Year, then suppressed, and have returned in these days.
The parent communicated to the principal of the institute attended by his children, in the historic center of Rome, that he wanted to keep the children at home for about ten days to prevent reactions from other parents. "I consider it appropriate that students who return from China, both Chinese and Italian, and who do not exhibit symptoms of the virus - underlines Rusconi - can attend school without any limitation. However, we must avoid episodes, such as that of Benevento, in which parents drive their children away in the presence of a Chinese student. "