Schools may not refuse cold children to the emergency shelter, the Ministry of Education says in response to the new snottebellen policy in Breda. Because of the British variant of corona, children have a cold no longer welcome there at the 28 schools of the educational organization INOS.
“We do not yet know all the details of this specific situation, but the RIVM guideline is clear”, a spokesperson for the ministry responds. “Children with only mild colds are allowed to go to the emergency shelter at school. If they also have to cough, get a fever or become short of breath, they have to get tested and stay at home.”
The spokesperson adds that the inspectorate will follow up if parents report that schools deviate from these rules.
Followed closely
The schools in Breda are concerned about the British corona variant, which is more contagious and also makes children sicker than before. It has been decided to tighten the rules, “because we understand that you may have some additional concern at this stage of the investigation,” the school writes to the parents.
The largest outbreak of this variant of the virus spread at a school in Bergschenhoek, South Holland. Thirty people were infected there.
The ministry emphasizes that RIVM is closely monitoring the situation. “If necessary, the guidelines will of course be adjusted.”
GGD
According to the PO Council, there are dozens of schools that are seriously concerned and other schools have now also adjusted their policy. The ministry says it has no signs of this.
The Breda school umbrella says it acted in consultation with the GGD. That organization does not want to confirm this, because it does not deal with individual cases. The Ministry of Education is not making a statement about this either.
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