Coronavirus: Teachers to be included in Test to Stay scheme as of Monday

Teachers are to be included in the test-to-stay programme as of Monday, with the health ministry on Friday outlining the relevant protocols, which cover teachers in kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, both private and public.

Contacts of people who test positive for coronavirus within the school environment are required to test under the programme, applying to those who are unvaccinated, have not completed their regimen, those for whom seven months have elapsed since their latest dose or 90 days have elapsed since their latest infection.

These people must proceed with daily rapid tests for a week at the test units at schools or those announced daily by the health ministry, not including the weekends.

The programme is not retroactive and will apply only for contacts from March 14 onwards.

The health ministry announcement stated that teachers who did not wish to proceed with the protocol can remain at home provided they take leave.

Teachers who are close contacts – from the school environment – will be provided with a form by the contact tracing unit that they must show at the test units.

Those who are contacts must limit their activities after school hours and will not be permitted to participate in afternoon activities.