Eight Schools in France Closed Down After Student Tests Positive for COVID-19

(Photo : REUTERS/Benoit Tessier)
A school staff member cleans school supplies in a classroom at a primary school during its reopening in Paris as a small part of Parisian children head back to their schools with new rules and social distancing during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in France, May 14, 2020.

Immediate closure was imposed by eight schools in a French city after one of its students tested positive with COVID-19.

After the reopening-week of schools in France, seven of Roubaix's public institutions and one private school shut their doors on Monday morning.

The conclusion was made after a child in reception class acquired coronavirus.

France finalized the reopening of classes of around 40,000 schools after determining of 15 students capped per class to still observe social distancing while learning.

However, despite the precautionary measures imposed by schools, in just a matter of days, more than 70 coronavirus cases were linked to the academic institutions.

According to local officials, the schools in Roubaix, on the Belgian border, immediately stopped its operations as a precautionary measure to avoid greater risk.

Despite the coronavirus threat, last week an estimated one-third of the student population reentered the schools, but the government of France permitted parents to keep children at home.

Based on the information given by local authorities, most affected schools will be able to reopen by May 25 but it is not yet confirmed whether the 70 or more cases were among students or staff.

The reopening of junior high schools was determined by the French government by regions, wherein areas with fewer infections were tagged as 'green regions', but it does not include Paris.

After determining and assessing each region, the French government identified areas like Mayenne, Finistère, Cantal, Indre-et-Loire, Haute-Garonne, Hérault, and Nice to impose school closures.

Jean-Michel Blanquer, France's Education minister shared that those persons who tested positive with coronavirus have been infected before the reopening of the schools as the incubation period of the disease takes several days.

He also added that it is inevitable for schools to avoid schools, but he mentioned that it will be only in a minority of places.

Currently ranked as the seventh-worst affected nation in the world by COVID-19, France tallied 180,000 confirmed cases with 28,108 persons in their death toll.

Meanwhile, despite concerns from staff and parents of the students, schools in England are set to reopen on June 1.

Top Tory Michael Gove, initially claimed that he could guarantee the safety of teachers but moments after, he immediately admitted that they might acquire coronavirus.

But when asked in an interview whether he could guarantee the safety of teachers when classes resume, Gove replied yes and he shared that he was able to talk to Patrick Vallance, chief scientific advisor for the government regarding the running figures, the R number, and the infection rate in the community as a whole, and he emphasized that they are confident about the safety of children and teachers.

But Gove then admitted that he could not guarantee that every teacher will be safe in the process as he stated that risk can never be eliminated as in any loosening of these restrictions, the risk of people catching COVID-19 gets higher.

But just less than an hour before Gove's interview, he shared that the government's target is to keep the balance between the people's safety and ensuring quality education for the children.