MINISTRY of Health epidemiologist Dr Avery Hinds said schools were not deemed "safe zones" and were never set up to be such areas, answering questions at his ministry's virtual news briefing on Monday.

This was the day that unvaccinated pupils in forms 4-6 were told to physically return to school, joining their vaccinated colleagues, who were allowed to resume face-to-face classes on October 4.

Hinds said it was not a proper comparison to compare a school to a safe zone.

"Safe zones are spaces that have been established basically for recreational activity among fully vaccinated individuals. This is activity that whereas it is economically viable or valuable, it isn't considered absolutely essential. Therefore you can make stipulation around individuals being fully vaccinated to participate in these activities, so that you have additional movement with reduced risk."

In contrast, a school was not a recreational or non-essential setting, and so could not be likened to a safe zone.

"So we are hoping that people do understand the difference between what applies to the safe zone concept and what would apply to essential activities that go beyond recreational to having additional necessity."

Hinds said vaccination reduces the risk of contracting covid19 and of incurring more severe strains.

Asked about his ministry's monitoring the return of pupils to school, he said that was " the remit of the medical team that works with the Ministry of Education and we of course will provide any additional support that is required, including support with respect to analysis of data."

Newsday asked about the ministry's advice to schools for Monday's return of all form 4-6 pupils.

Hinds said, "The advice has not changed with regard to the mechanisms that we would want to have in place to reduce the risk of spreading (covid19) in any place where individuals gather, and the operationalisation of the advice would really be a matter for the staff of the Ministry of Education."

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