Plastic screens will be fitted around desks at schools in the Netherlands as they begin to reopen next week after two months in lockdown

Students are going back to school in the Netherlands as staff prepare measures including putting plastic shields around desks to prevent coronavirus spreading. 

Staff have installed disinfectant gel dispensers at the doorways at the Springplank school in Den Bosch and many others.

New infections in the Netherlands have been declining for weeks and the government announced a schedule to relax some of its lockdown measures on Wednesday, with elementary schools to reopen on May 11.

'Our teachers are not worried,' said Rascha van der Sluijs, the school's technical coordinator.

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Schools in the Netherlands, including the Springplank school in Den Bosch, will begin reopening next week with plastic screens fitted around desks to reduce the risk of coronavirus spreading

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Staff have also installed disinfectant gel dispensers as the government announced on Wednesday that elementary schools will reopen on May 11

'We have flexible screens that we bought so we can protect our teachers if students are coughing.'

While schools have been closed since March 14, many including the Springplank have remained open with skeleton staff for a handful of students whose parents work in essential sectors. 

Most of these pupils whose parents work in sectors such as healthcare have been taking classes online.

Each district is setting its own policies for reopening, with many planning to accept students only on alternate days and some teachers wearing medical masks.

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While schools have been closed since March 14, many including the Springplank have remained open with skeleton staff for a handful of students whose parents work in essential sectors

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The screens will be brought in to protect 'teachers if students are coughing' says Rascha van der Sluijs, the school's technical coordinator

There have been 42,093 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the Netherlands, with 5,359 deaths, according to data from the National Institute for Health. 

Of those, 1.3 per cent of infections and one death were registered among people under 20 years old.

High schools are not due to open until June.

At the Springplank, younger students will use one entrance and older students a different one. Parents will have to drop their children at the gate.

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There have been 42,093 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the Netherlands, with 5,359 deaths, according to data from the National Institute for Health

Ms Van der Sluijs said: 'What we're worried about is the adults.'  

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said: 'To start, children in primary schools will attend school half of the time. 

'For example, one day one half of the pupils, the other day the other half. The starting date for all schools and day cares is 11 May.'