From 1 September, vaccinated students in general education or vocational schools will not be required to remain in quarantine after having been in close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19. To avoid quarantine, unvaccinated students must be tested at school, which is done in a child-friendly way and generally in a school setting.
According to Liina Kersna, Minister of Education and Research, the purpose of the change is to keep healthy students in school. “We will start the new school year on the principle that only sick children stay at home. Studies have confirmed that children are significantly less likely than adults to become ill, have asymptomatic or significantly milder infections, and rarely need hospital treatment. To avoid negative effects on studies, the conditions for defining close contacts in educational institutions have been changed and we will start testing close contacts in educational institutions,“ said Kersna.
Changes in the organisation of work in educational institutions from 1 September:
* Fully vaccinated, asymptomatic staff and students do not need to be quarantined after having been in close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19.
* In the event of close contact at an educational institution, unvaccinated students between the ages of 12 and 18 or students who turn 19 during the school year, beginning this September, must first undergo a rapid test followed by a PCR test no earlier than 72 hours after taking the rapid test. There is no need to quarantine if the tests are negative. The tests are performed in a child-friendly way and generally in a school environment.
* If a parent or guardian or the student does not give permission for testing, the student must remain in quarantine as usual because there is no way to assess their infection safety.
* If an unvaccinated student comes into close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19 outside a general education or vocational school, the student must remain in self-isolation as usual, regardless of age.
* Everyone, including those who have been vaccinated, who develop signs of illness must stay at home and contact their family doctor.
In the coming days, the Ministry of Education and Research will send instructions to all educational institutions on how to organise studies in the beginning of the school year.
The Government Communication Unit will publish the order and the explanatory memorandum on the website kriis.ee.
