Children who have had recurrent hospitalizations – meaning at least four hospital admissions in the last three years – due to complex illnesses will not be allowed to return to school without first consulting their doctors, the letter said.
As for teachers and staff, the letter lists six risk variables that would prevent them from going to work – diseases of the heart or blood vessels, hypertension, diabetes, smokers of over 10 years, obesity and any hospitalization from the past three years, not including births.
Despite the heavy shortage of staff caused by the new restrictions, a low 60% attendance rate from students on the first day back helped principals adapt more easily to the change, according to the letter.
Bar Siman Tov wrote that people up to the age of 50 who suffer from four of the listed conditions are considered 'at risk' and should stay home as much as possible.
Those aged 50 and over are considered 'at risk' if they suffer from two or more of the background illnesses, and those aged 70 and over who suffer from three or more of these conditions are considered to be at an especially increased risk.
On Sunday morning, schools in most of the country opened their gates for the first time in nearly two months, after the cabinet voted to recommence in-school learning for children in first to third grade, and eleventh to twelfth grade.
"I feel that we are moving in a good direction," Education Minister Rafi Peretz told Reshet Bet addressing the gradual return of the education system.
However, schools did not resume activities on Sunday in several municipalities, including Tel Aviv-Jaffe, which rejected the government’s decision, as officially confirmed on Friday. Local representatives explained that they were not given enough time or practical guidelines in order to reopen the education system, and they believed that they would be unable to implement the move in a safe manner.
Moreover, a mere 40% of Jerusalem students returned to their classrooms according to Israel's Channel 13 News.
The Education Ministry announced that teachers over the age of 65, with preexisting conditions or with close family members with preexisting conditions do not have to return to work. Their pay will be transferred at the expense of their sick days.
In addition, teachers who have children whose schools are not reopening and therefore must care for them will not be permitted to return to work, but will instead be put on unpaid leave.
On Saturday, the three umbrella organizations which run early childhood education frameworks up to the age of three, as well as the Association of Supervised Daycare Workers, threatened that they would not be returning to work after the Education Ministry's May 10 deadline.
“In the current situation and without clear instructions and a minimal budget, we will not be able to open the centers on May 10,” the forum said. “We will not risk the lives of toddlers and caretakers.”
Rossella Tercatin, Eytan Halon and Anna Ahronheim contributed to this report.