For just over a week, students have returned to the school bench. This time the new school year started with an uncharacteristically great caution, every step of the students is accompanied by measures to limit the spread of Covid-19. Pupils, teachers and parents need to get used to the new conditions.
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The difficulties faced by teachers in the first week of school, whether schools can request Covid-19 tests and why a family came to the police, explains the portal “Delfi”.
The first week of training ends with the arrival of the police
“Covid-19 brings tension and fear to adults and children,” a mother of several students who wanted to remain anonymous told Delfi. Although the training has just begun, the first week of the school year for the woman has already ended with an explanation from the police.
At the end of the first week of schooling, the woman’s daughter visited the girlfriend for the whole weekend. The child sneezed already on Friday, but on Sunday the symptoms of the cold became stronger.
The daughter’s girlfriend’s parents encouraged the child to take the Covid-19 test, but the mother was against. She emphasizes that the beginning of each school year brings illness. “Either because of the change of air, or because of stress. That doesn’t mean you have to run to do tests right away, but everyone is afraid,” concludes the mother.
When the daughter returned home, the mother discussed an action plan with her – it is necessary to isolate herself from the other family members in her room. On the same day, the mother received a call from the police: the daughter’s girlfriend’s parents applied to the police and reported that the sick child was not being tested for Covid-19. Shortly afterwards, the situation came to the house as well State Police representative.
“I no longer have free will, I can’t decide for myself my family,” says the mother of many.
“Filing with the police is like a patch on you, that you have done something wrong, that you will be punished for something, that you are guilty of something, that you have to take responsibility right away … But for what?” asks the mother, who states that she has followed the precautionary measures with her family so far, has not gone abroad, etc. tml. “Respectively, we live our lives, simply – a cold child. It’s all raised to that level.”
“Children are afraid of what children will say, how they will look at it at school,” the mother continues. “And I’m scared! I’m really scared of being bitten, of being fingered, of bending, being called, and so on.”
Due to the huge excitement around the child’s cold, he was tested for Covid-19 on Monday, and it was negative, later the portal “Delfi” found out.
Each case – individual
The police explained to the Delfi portal that in cases where the police receive information about possible violations in connection with the established measures of Covid-19 containment, this is responded to accordingly and this information is checked. State Police representative Simona Grāvīte emphasizes that this happens regardless of whether such a report has been received about a minor or an adult.
Each case must be assessed on its own merits, but in the circumstances of the case, the police pass on this information. Health Inspectorate (VI), who further explains the circumstances of the event to the medical staff, including providing advice and instructions on treatment and testing, indicates Grāvīte. However, as the mother of the sick girl told the Delfi portal, the MA was not involved in this case, the inspectorate has not contacted the family.
Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers no. 360 stipulates that those who must observe self-isolation are under the control of the police. In particular, the police monitor those returning from countries listed by the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (SPCC) for which completed questionnaires have been received. Grāvīte also pointed out that the police react to the received information about possible violations of Covid-19 restrictions.
Covid-19 patients and contacts are under the supervision of the MA. Also, whether or not to perform Covid-19 tests is not within the competence of the police, but should be decided by the attending physician.
“However, it should be noted that it is difficult to answer unequivocally in the context of a possible police check in such cases, as each case must be assessed on its own merits, taking into account the information received, its scope and content. If information is received on possible Covid-19 , about possible threats, the police react to this information, the circumstances are assessed accordingly, “explains Grāvīte.
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Representative of the VI Maira Kalniņa says that information about Covid-19 infected persons, as well as persons who have been assigned the status of Covid-19 contact person, is regularly received from the SPKC.
The MA will contact these people by telephone, taking into account the minimum observation period set for the contact person. During the conversation, the MA repeatedly informs the person about the obligations and rights assigned to him / her, as well as clarifies several issues that are directly related to the quarantine / isolation conditions of the person’s home.
If during the conversation there is a suspicion that a person does not observe the restrictions set for him or her, the State Police is involved in further supervision of the person, Kalniņa says.
The school cannot request a test
As the mother of many children on the “Delfi” portal, students come home together. They say: if you have not been to the school for two days or more, then returning to the school bench is possible only with a negative Covid-19 test. However Education and the Ministry of Science (MES) to the portal “Delfi” emphasizes that the school is not entitled to require a student to take a Covid-19 test. Only a doctor can decide to prescribe a test.
However, as before, the school must have a procedure for registering students’ arrival or non-attendance on a daily basis, as well as a procedure for parents to inform the school about the child’s state of health or other circumstances that prevent the student from attending school. If a pupil has not attended school due to illness, he must present a GP certificate on his return. As the Ministry of Education and Science explains, most schools stipulate that a doctor’s certificate must be submitted after three days of illness.
The ministry also reminds that schools may not require parents to provide proof that the child and family have not been abroad. Such a certificate had to be provided only in pre-school establishments during the emergency.
Schools – the main protective bastion
Analyzing the developments of the first week of the school year, the Latvian Education and Research Workers’ Trade Unions (LIZDA) leader Inga Vanaga points out that a number of problems faced by teachers have already crystallized.
In the meantime, teachers have repeatedly expressed concerns about the proportionality of the restrictions imposed. They are freer outside the school, so, “as soon as a student crosses the school threshold, the teacher has to do their biggest duty as a protective bastion,” concludes Vanaga.
Referring to what the educators said, Vanaga said that, on the one hand, they were given a high bar of responsibility and various restrictions had to be put in place to prevent the class flow from intersecting. “At the same time, they must not ask their parents the reasons why the child has not been to school for two days, or has not been abroad, or has not met someone who has returned,” the head of LIZDA notes. She draws attention to the fact that other service providers, such as hairdressers, have to fill in a questionnaire in which the client confirms and assumes responsibility that he has not been abroad and provides true information.
Vanaga also points out that the workload has increased for teachers whose studies at school are partly remote or remote. “In our opinion, it was necessary to budget for these expenses,” says the head of LIZDA, citing the example of replacing a colleague due to self-isolation or illness.
“The compensation for the replacement is 30%, but Covid-19 is not a daily situation,” Vanaga points out, stressing that compensation with an increased coefficient should have been provided because there is also a shortage of teachers. She found that in some institutions, there are even two classes for class teachers.
Commenting on the situation with the police, Vanaga said that families are different: “There are those who are very cautious, but there are also those who believe that it is not something to have such restrictions.”
The head of LIZDA believes that in such cases it would be necessary to obtain more information from health experts, who would explain and specify how parents should react and act.
“This issue could be raised through nurses in schools and parental education, because if someone looks at Covid-19 more calmly and calmly, then there is a conflict of interest and such small conflicts,” Vanaga concludes, noting that he has never heard of such cases.
The head of LIZDA calls on people to be tolerant and understanding, because Covid-19 is not the only disease at the moment. She calls for the situation to be discussed with each other first, and then it may not be possible to involve other institutions.
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