RIGA, Feb 18 (LETA) - As of next Monday, pupils in grades 1-4 will resume contact learning in municipalities with low Covid-19 incidence, the government decided Thursday. 

The ministers endorsed the proposal to use the regional approach to organizing the process of comprehensive education, which will allow resuming contact learning on certain conditions in those municipalities where the cumulative 14-day Covid-19 incidence is below 200 cases per 100,000 population. 

Education and Science Minister Ilga Suplinska (New Conservative Party) said at a news conference Thursday that the government will examine municipalities' compliance with "safe school" standards every other week. In municipalities reporting a steep rise in Covid-19 incidence, exceeding 200 cases per 100,000 population in two weeks, authorities will consider infection risks and decide on closing schools for in-personal learning if necessary. 

Schools will be required to ensure compliance with epidemiological safety requirements and weekly testing of the teachers. Each pupil will have to be provided with at least three square meters of floor space in classrooms. 

Local government are also required to ensure as safe transportation of children to the school and back as possible, considering infection risks on public transport. 

According to the latest data from the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), there are 19 municipalities in Latvia, where the current 14-day cumulative incidence is below 200 cases per 100,000 population.