Sanitary Rules for Schools Approved

By the order of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Armenia, the sanitary rules applied in schools have been approved, which define the requirements for the prevention of coronavirus disease. These rules are intended for all educational institutions operating in the republic (excluding preschool) regardless of their form of ownership.

The order establishes the organization of general work and preventive and sanitary-anti-epidemic measures in educational institutions, the disinfection of premises, food organization, transportation means for students, as well as requirements for students.

Also approved are the records for the disinfection process and the recording of temperature measurements for students and staff, as well as an informational leaflet used to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Armenia. It is established that the responsibility for ensuring healthy and safe conditions in schools lies entirely with the institution's head, who appoints a responsible person for the measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

This order revises several previously established rules in the guidance for the organization of activities of educational institutions during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), specifically stating that for students with varying degrees of hearing and speech impairments and for teachers working with them, wearing masks is not mandatory during the educational process. The movement of students during breaks is organized under the supervision of a teacher or responsible person according to a developed schedule, which eliminates queues in the hallways.

Individual sessions for pedagogical-psychological support for children in need of special educational conditions are organized according to the following rules: 1) individual sessions are organized at the school or at the territorial pedagogical-psychological center as chosen by the parent; 2) at the end of each session, the area is ventilated for at least 8-10 minutes; 3) at the end of each session, disinfection of the working area and surfaces is performed with disinfectants based on at least 70-90% alcohol or chlorine, which have methodological guidelines approved by the Minister of Health based on point 24 of the annex to the Minister of Health's order No. 13-N dated July 16, 2010; 4) after every session, didactic materials and all items that children may touch are disinfected; 5) during the sessions, single-use personal items or cleaning and disinfection materials are used; 6) work materials that cannot be disinfected daily are temporarily removed from everyday use. These materials are collected in a separate container, and prior to reuse, they must be disinfected; 7) at the table, hand sanitizers or disinfectant wipes with at least 70% alcohol content are provided.

Specific rules have been established for specialized and special schools, taking into account their peculiarities.