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At a remote government meeting, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė declared that no quarantine changes would be discussed or approved on Monday. Only the situation will be assessed and expert suggestions will be heard.
Priority is given to the opening of educational institutions, social bubbles and then to companies
Ramunė Kalėdienė, Dean of the Faculty of Public Health of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, advising the government, stated that despite the improvement of the situation in Lithuania, this country is in the most dangerous scenario of the spread of the virus D.
“The closure of schools has been a very important step to control the spread of the virus. Now that the situation is improving, educational institutions are a priority area to open up in many aspects that we will analyze.
Human contact was severely restricted during the spread of the epidemic. The creation of bubbles of social support is now an urgent and very important issue.
In preparation for Scenario C and other milder scenarios, we must now immediately plan to ease restrictions for businesses, educational institutions, industry, production, commerce and services. But this requires a very clear testing strategy, “said R. Kalėdienė at the government meeting.
Skruibis proposes to open schools first
Paulius Skruibis, a member of the Council of Experts and associate professor at the Institute of Psychology at Vilnius University, declared that 25 thousand. General education students need learning support when learning at a distance.
“We unanimously support the proposal of the MMSM that those children who do not have the conditions to study at home or for other objective reasons need help to ensure distance education at school.
They wouldn’t all go back to class together, but they could join distance learning at school. It would have space, a computer, an Internet connection. There, care and food should also be provided, since some of them have free food and this is also important, ”said P. Skruibis.
He noted that flows must be managed and other requirements must be met. And periodic tests need to be done later.
He argued that as the situation improves and scenario C opens, opening schools should be the first priority to be prepared for.
“Start with educational institutions, not other releases. Kindergartens and schools must be a priority. Of course, that priority needs not only to be opened up, but to prepare by vaccinating teachers, high school students, and evaluating teachers and students in parallel.
It is understood that such an opening would occur gradually. First, beginners and high school graduates must start, and then everyone else must start, ”said P. Skruibis.
Social bubbles are offered right now
Experts are already proposing to the government to legalize the possibilities of social bubbles in Lithuania.
At present, communication between more than one household is not possible under quarantine requirements. A support bubble would make communication between two households an exception.
If approved by the government, it would allow one person’s home to interact with another home to provide emotional and practical help to people experiencing increased stress from isolation.
Both bubbles of support would force no other close contacts outside of them. They must also wear masks indoors and must maintain safe distances.
Medical: for students, teachers: tests, vaccinations are offered to teachers and older students
Tum Bernot, a physician at Cambridge University Hospital, listed the measures that need to be put in place before schools open.
“Our first goal in trying to open schools, which will really take a lot of effort, is to keep them clean.
The first step is a negative PCR test, I would suggest that both students and teachers and support staff take the test two days before returning to school for the first time.
Students who receive a negative test go back to schools, and those who receive a positive test are isolated for another 10 days before returning, ”said the doctor.
Bernot emphasized that people with symptoms cannot enter schools.
“The second proposed step is to reduce risk and the transfer of roles of teachers in the chain. The vaccination of educational personnel and teachers would play a very important role. {…} And before the vaccines arrive, I would suggest to educators that they do the serological tests a week or two in advance if they have positive responses so that they do not get vaccinated, “said the doctor.
Proposed to maintain contact between students, masks should be mandatory for everyone, not just kindergarteners. Also disinfection and cleaning of rooms.
According to the doctor, rapid tests should be performed on all students 2 times a week.
Šimonytė – on vaccination of teachers and seniors: “Now it will not be a priority issue”
According to the prime minister, so far we don’t even have enough vaccines to be able to speak boldly about vaccinations for educators and seniors.
“Manufacturers restrictions are specific to individual products. Where the manufacturer does not recommend vaccination, before a certain age, you cannot talk about that.
When the manufacturer’s recommendation is followed, there may be some medical reason not to. But for now, there will be very clear practical and logistical obstacles, as we still receive enough vaccines.
Now our main goal is to cover as many risk groups as possible as soon as possible, so that we can talk more quickly about reducing other restrictions. This is definitely not a priority issue right now, ”said I. Šimonytė.
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