New Requirements Established for COVID-19 Prevention in Extracurricular Centers

New specific requirements have been established for the prevention of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in educational institutions engaged in extracurricular education and additional training.

The norms set for development centers, clubs, and additional education centers operating outside of schools are mandatory. According to the order (Appendix 18) issued by the Minister of Health of Armenia, the following has been specified:

The director of the institution is fully responsible for ensuring health and safety conditions in these facilities. The director appoints a person responsible for the measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The institution must ensure:

1. Availability of masks, hand sanitizers, and disinfectants for surfaces.
2. Possibility for handwashing with running water, elbow or foot-operated faucets, or sanitization options, soap.
3. Closed bins labeled "Used Masks" for disposal.
4. Remote thermometers.

Mass events such as film screenings, sports events, entertainment, and performances are not allowed in the institution. Meetings and gatherings are organized remotely, outdoors, or in other spaces.

Admission and departure of attendees to the institution is done in shifts (for example, establishing specific time frames for students' arrivals and departures) while maintaining social distance. Accompanying adults are not allowed to enter the institution.

Upon entering and midway through the workday, students and staff are checked for temperature. If the temperature is 37 degrees Celsius or higher, the result is recorded in a log, and those showing COVID-19 symptoms are not allowed to enter the institution.

Hand sanitizers with at least 70% alcohol content must be provided at the entrance, in classrooms, restrooms, and changing rooms, ensuring mandatory sanitization for each entrant.

Education is organized in reduced groups of a maximum of 16 students while ensuring at least 1.5 meters of social distance between students during classes, adhering to the "crossing" principle. If this is not possible, students should sit at opposite ends of the table. In gymnasiums and dance studios, each person must have at least 2 square meters of space during classes. During group training, the group must be divided into parts to maintain adequate spacing.

The entire territory of the institution must be cleaned and disinfected with disinfectants containing 70-90% alcohol or other virucidal agents effective against enveloped viruses, one day before reopening and at the end of each day, according to the attached methodological guidelines.