Israeli schools open next week - your last-minute questions answered

Can unvaccinated education staff enter preschools and schools?

Pending a final decision by the cabinet, it is expected that schools will follow the Green Pass outline, meaning that all teachers will need either to be vaccinated, recovered or provide a negative coronavirus test result taken within the last 48 hours. This rule would apply to teachers and any other employee who works in a school. There are currently around 37,000 school employees who do not qualify for a Green Pass.

Do students need to be vaccinated?

There is no requirement for students to vaccinate to go to school. However, students between the ages of 12 and 19 are encouraged to get the jab. Students who have been vaccinated or recovered from the virus, including those who have taken serological tests and have been found to have antibodies, can receive Green Passes and this will allow them to be exempt from isolation if a classmate contracts coronavirus.

Can parents enter preschools and first grade classrooms to help transition their children this year?

Yes, provided they can show a Green Pass or a negative coronavirus test, including a rapid antigen test. Exceptions can be made only by school authorities for children with special difficulties.

Should vaccinated and recovered students take a rapid antigen test before the start of the year?

All students between the ages of 3 and 16 are being asked to take a rapid home coronavirus test before the start of the school year. The results are supposed to be recorded by parents and submitted to the school, which will designate a person to receive them.

How will I know if my child’s school is in a red area?

The Health Ministry designates the color of the country’s cities every Wednesday. The rankings are valid for seven days and can be found on the Health Ministry website. Nothing changes for preschool and younger elementary school students learning in red zones. However, principals are being asked to help distance students in grades five and six in red zones by offering hybrid learning, opportunities to social distance or learning outside during. Those in middle- and high-school will only be able to learn in their classrooms if at least 70% of all classmates are vaccinated. Otherwise, all older students in red zones will learn from home.

Students learning in special education programs or those for kids-at-risk will continue as usual.

What are the final five layers of the Education Ministry’s plan to keep children safe?

1 - Serological testing: Although the Health and Education ministries originally determined to screen more than 1 million students between the ages of three and 12 who were neither vaccinated nor recovered from coronavirus, the country is now focusing on testing those youth in areas that have had a minimum of 12% infection. A serological test is a brief blood test with a sample taken from the finger. The results are delivered within 15 minutes. A child who returns a positive result for antibodies will receive a Green Pass.

2 - Rapid antigen home testing: Some 1.9 million students from preschool through grade 9 will be asked to take a rapid home test before school starts, which they can pick up beginning August 27. Children who test positive are being asked not to come to school.

3 - Green Classroom program – This has only just started being piloted in two haredi schools. Next month, it is meant to be tried in Arab schools and only then brought to secular schools around October 15.

The model works like this: If a student tests positive for COVID, that infected student will enter quarantine immediately and students and staff who were near the student will test for coronavirus for seven days. On the first and last days, the individuals will take standard PCR tests. On the other days, they will take rapid antigen tests.

Anyone who tests negative will return to school. Anyone who tests positive will enter quarantine. Students or teachers who refuse to be tested will also enter quarantine.

The only exception will be those who are vaccinated or recovered – they will not need to test or enter quarantine.

4 - Magen Hinuch (“Education Shield”): This program only applies to schools in red or orange municipalities. Tests will be performed once a week on students who are not vaccinated or recovered in schools for early detection of infection.

5 - Lifestyle changes: Every student from first grade and upwards will be required to wear a mask in their classroom and at all indoor educational activities. Masks will also be required on school buses and in any outdoor setting attended by more than 100 people. The only exceptions will be during exams and gym classes. In addition, schools will be asked to offer learning in open spaces as much as possible, and to work with students and teachers to maintain top-level hygiene at schools.