Final Word on School Openings: Wednesday as Planned

YERUSHALAYIM
Boys seen the first day of school at a yeshiva in the Neve Yaakov neighborhood of Yerushalayim on August 9, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced on Monday that the school year will begin as planned, on Wednesday.

The decision was made following a meeting with senior education and health officials that capped weeks of often heated debate on the subject of when and how schools could reopen amid the fourth coronavirus wave.

A statement from Bennett’s office said it was decided that Green Pass rules will apply to education workers, meaning they must be vaccinated, recovered from COVID-19, or have a negative test result to enter schools. Unvaccinated employees will have to test negative twice a week.

In grades seven and up, at least 70 percent of children in each class must have received one vaccine shot for classes to be held in person, according to the statement. Starting September 30, 70% or more of students will be required to have gotten both shots to avoid remote learning.

The statement stresses that one vaccine dose is not sufficient to meet the Health Ministry’s vaccination standards.

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