Primary and secondary public school teachers may walk off the job in protest over anticipated negative consequences from planned coronavirus test and contact-tracing rules, Philenews reported on Thursday.
The Cabinet decided on Wednesday that as from Monday and up until February 16 a ‘test to stay’ policy will be introduced in primary and secondary schools.
The aim is keeping schools operational and detecting positive Covid-19 cases in a timely manner.
Heads of school unions will meet on Saturday to decide the measures to be taken against the decision, not ruling out a strike.
They have already sent out the message that if the test and contact-tracing measure is so safe why isn’t this applied to society at large.
They also argue that teaches cannot play the role of nurse as well.
Under the rule, close contacts of confirmed cases, regardless of vaccination status, instead of being isolated, will undergo a daily rapid test for a period of five days.
Initially the ministry said the rule applied to unvaccinated students but then issued a correction to clarify it was regardless of vaccination status.
This decision concerns only the students, and the rapid test will be carried out by mobile units of the ministry of health that visit the schools.
