ZAGREB, 27 Jan 2022 - Science and Education Minister Radovan Fuchs said on Thursday that the purpose of the ministry's new epidemiological rule was the abolishment of self-isolation for students so as to enable face-to-face classes as much as possible.

This means that children with symptoms of infection with COVID-19 and children who test positive after taking a rapid antigen test stay at home while all the others go to school, the minister told reporters ahead of a government session.

The ministry will send instructions to school principals regarding the testing, Fuchs said, adding that the latest rule would go into force "once we have a sufficient amount of tests to be distributed to schools" (around three million).

I believe in parents, face-to-face classes must be in everyone's interest

Schools will supply parents with tests, and they will test their children on Mondays, before they go to school, and when necessary, if an infection is reported in the classroom.

Asked how one could control if parents really test their children, the minister said there was no way to control it but that he believed in parents.

"This is in children's interest. Everyone should be interested in having children go to school," he said.

"I believe that most parents will act responsibly," he stressed.

According to the ministry's estimates, the implementation of the latest rule could cost around HRK 70 million, and the tests, to be procured through the Buffer Stock system, will cost up to HRK 20 million.