With full attendance, classes begin in the City of Buenos Aires and Mendoza

With full face-to-face and without bubbles, some 800,000 boys and girls begin classes this Monday in the City of Buenos Aires and the province of Mendoza. However, the protocol defined by the local authorities is not the same. In the Federal Capital, the sanitary pass will not be required in any school and the system of bubbles per classroom that was implemented until December of last year will be eliminated. In addition, all the spaces of interaction of the boys will be free. On the other hand, isolation by close contact is eliminated, and the protocols become recommendations: the signaling of the direction of circulation in the facilities will no longer be mandatory; staggered entry at the beginning of the day; bubbles at recess; shifts in the dining room; and the taking of temperature at the entrance to the establishment. Also, the use of a mask will not be mandatory for children up to and including 3rd grade. From 4th grade, its use will be mandatory within the classroom. In the case of outdoor activities, it is not mandatory at any level. In Mendoza, the use of a mask by students -from 1st grade- and teachers will be mandatory. All spaces must be properly ventilated and sanitized and the greatest possible distance must be sought. Meanwhile, vaccination is an “exclusive condition” to be able to attend the classrooms. The isolation time for positive covid-19 cases has the same criteria as for the rest of the population: seven days of isolation and three days of special care for fully vaccinated positives and ten days for the unvaccinated. Asymptomatic suspected cases, meanwhile, should not be isolated, and suspected cases with symptoms are isolated until their diagnosis is known. Teachers must report all positive or suspected cases and detail the measures taken. There will be no bubbles, but upon confirmation of three or more positive cases within the same classroom, the health authority will assess whether any additional action is necessary. The rest of the provinces plan to start classes after the Carnival holiday, between March 1 and 3. However, there are some exceptions: Catamarca, La Pampa and La Rioja will do so on the 8th; Santa Fe and Santiago del Estero, on the 15th; and Jujuy, the 17.In all cases, the return to school is under the premise of “full face-to-face”.

Original source in Spanish