Linen: Yes to compulsory vaccination - No to work suspensions

For incomplete announcements on the part of the Ministry of Education, concerning the measures to be applied in schools for the protection of teachers and pupils from coronavirus, the professor of Epidemiology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (EKPA) and president of the Institute of Preventive Medicine, tells ethnos.gr, Athena Linou.

She also submits her disagreements with measures announced by the Ministry of Education and are to be taken with the first school bell, while regarding the possibility of mandatory vaccination of teachers, Ms Linou was in favour of. It noted, however, that disagrees with the measure of a work suspension for those teachers who continue to be unvaccinated and argued that the latter can be used and contribute to other posts in public education, as long as they do not come into contact with children.

«I have not heard anything about the distances that must be kept in the classrooms. This is a serious misdemeanor, unless they take for granted that what was in place in previous school years will apply to this issue. It is very serious what will happen in the classrooms. All possible measures must necessarily be taken to counteract the further spread of the coronavirus. Very good ventilation, where there is the possibility of reducing the number of students per class and of course distances. The scientific community has repeatedly stressed that the distance between one child and another should be two meters or at least 1.5 meters», stresses ethnos.gr Ms. Linou.

Gymnastics with masks

The Professor of Epidemiology of the University of Athens, Greece, presents the clear its disagreement with the measure not to wear a mask during exercise.

«It is a problem in my opinion that students will not wear a mask during gym time. This is not based on any scientific data. The use of the mask during the exercise is needed even more, because children exhale and inhale faster and more intensely during exercise and so the risk of dispersion is greater. The mask also protects against fire-related microparticles that seem to be associated with the spread of coronavirus. So I believe that the mask should also be used when exercising,» says Ms Linou.

Earlier closure of departments after outbreaks

The Professor of Epidemiology also disagrees with the determined closure of a school department when coronavirus outbreaks are detected in the 50%+1 pupils. He argues that the closure of a school department should be done with a smaller number of cases.

«I believe that a school department should be closed earlier, with a smaller number of cases. If we are waiting to find cases in 50+1% of students to close a section, in the next few days we should expect that another 25% of the students of the same department will get sick. One child will be stuck with the other», stresses Ms Linou.

Yes to compulsory vaccination - No to work suspensions

The professor of Epidemiology at the University of Athens, Greece, is in favour of compulsory vaccination for teachers, noting, however, that she disagrees with the measure of suspending the work of those who insist on not being vaccinated.
«My view is yes to compulsory vaccination of teachers. But I disagree with suspending the unvaccinated. The point is not to punish them, but to keep them out of contact with the students. Unvaccinated teachers can offer their services from another project. They can be employed in administrative services, in offices or even teach by tele-education to students who have fallen ill,» notes Ms Linou.