© robin utrecht
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Over the past two weeks, the number of corona infections among students and teachers in Flanders has continued to rise sharply. The number of infected students has even doubled compared to the period between 8 and 21 November. This is shown on Wednesday from figures from the Centers for Pupil Guidance (CLB).
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40,161. So many students became infected with corona in primary and secondary between November 22 and December 5. A doubling compared to two weeks before, when there were 21,162 positive students. “The increase is strongest in primary schools, because we have the largest group of unvaccinated children there,” reports the cabinet of Flemish education minister Ben Weyts (N-VA).
The number of students in quarantine is also increasing. From 33,603 students between November 8 and 21, to 71,817. That is almost 6 percent of all students. “These figures will probably increase,” says Michaël Devoldere, spokesman for Weyts. After all, the threshold for sending students home has been lowered. “If two children are infected, the whole class has to be quarantined. Before that it was three.”
For the teachers, the numbers go up by a quarter. The number of positive employees increases from 6,168 to 8,183. A bright spot is that in the week from November 29 to December 5, the statistics will again go down slightly, with 19,721 students infected, compared to 20,440 a week earlier. But relaxing the mouth mask obligation is not an option. Even though Weyts is “a cool lover” of it.
And for those who harbored hope: the Christmas holidays still start on December 17. “And whether that hope is there”, concludes Devoldere. “As soon as we publish positive figures, we receive emails from parents whether the schools cannot remain open for an extra week. Every straw is seized. And that is understandable.”
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