Schools and universities can schedule their gradual return to the classroom without prior approval from the Ministry of Health (Minsa) reports La Prensa.

In a September 28, resolution, of the Minsa published in the Official Gazette, the need to update the health guide for the prevention of Covid-19 is proposed, which must be met for the opening of educational centers that will teach classes in a blended way.

"The corresponding Health Region will coordinate with the Ministry of Education and the National Council for University Evaluation and Accreditation of Panama (Coneupa), as appropriate, the inspections it deems necessary to monitor compliance with biosafety measures and will not be a condition prior to opening. They may be carried out when the health authority deems it pertinent and they will make the corresponding recommendations and actions .”

In April the government regulated the return to classes in a blended way and the Minsa was responsible for approving the health guides and protocols of each educational center, which was also subject to the epidemiological situation.

About 2,500 schools are teaching blended classes nationwide.

Now, it will be the authority of each academic unit to establish its plan to return to the classroom, with its respective health guide, and the Health authorities will carry out the necessary surveillance to comply with these preventive biosafety actions.

Before the resolutions, nearly 800 schools were awaiting approval to return to the classroom.

The resolution argues that the update of the guide to return to classrooms is due to a decrease in cases of the new coronavirus and the vaccination process.