"There will be contaminations at school but we will manage them", assures the president of the Scientific Council

At the start of the school year, " there will be contamination at school, children will be contaminated, probably some teachers too but we will manage it ", assured this Monday, August 24 at the microphone of Franceinfo Jean-François Delfraissy, president of the Scientific Council.

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It is nevertheless " fundamental that the school resumes " , he judges, considering that " distance education does the job but partially ". “ We cannot let this generation of children go back to school, school has an educational (but also) social role. "

Given the " knowledge acquired on the circulation of the virus in children, the fact that children are carriers of the virus, but in small quantities, and that severe forms in children are exceptional, the risk is relatively limited ", he estimated.

There will be " cluster schools "

The " transmission in schools is not from children to teachers or parents, but from teachers or parents to children, " he also said. However, there will be “ cluster schools, maybe cluster classes. In this case it is necessary to test at the slightest suspicion. "" We can close the class, or close the school, but we have to think about it. It will depend on the environment around the school in general, ”continues Jean-François Delfraissy.

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However, “ we are not going to test teachers every week or every two weeks. In addition, repeating the nasopharyngeal tests, it's not that obvious , ”referring to the inconvenience caused, he said. For him, it is better "to keep common sense, and test very broadly but at the slightest suspicion ".

Free masks for all children?

Finally, unlike Minister of National Education Jean-Michel Blanquer, who wanted to reserve free masks for families in great difficulty, Jean-François Delfraissy said he was in favor of a free distribution of masks in schools. “ I wouldn't be against it, ” he said. If it should promote having stocks of masks that can keep them, I would be to facilitate the use of masks. "

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As a reminder, wearing a mask will be compulsory for all children over 11 years old, according to the National Education health protocol posted at the end of July. Social distancing will not be " compulsory when it is not physically possible or when it does not allow all the students to be accommodated ". The establishments will, however, have to limit "significant regroupings and crossings ", but " the restriction of mixing between classes and groups of pupils is no longer compulsory ”.