Armenia’s schoolchildren, teachers and staff have been given another week to combat the spread of flu as Minister of Education Armen Ashotyan announced Saturday that schools will remain closed at least until after the New Year official holiday.

On December 8 the Ministry, on advice from Armenia’s chief epidemiologist Ara Asoyan shut down schools following a spread of seasonal flu that had emptied classrooms of up to 30 percent of enrolment.

Schools will now be adjourned until January 12, meaning that upon return the 450,000 schoolchildren of Armenia will have been away from the books for five weeks – nearly half as long as the traditional summer vacation.

No announcement has been made on plans for making up the missed time, but it is possible that “last bell” for 2010 will come nearer to July than to June.

Shushan Hunanyan, an aide to the Armenian health minister, says school and kindergarten closures have roved effective in reducing the spread of acute respiratory diseases among children and that’s exactly why it has been decided to prolong the vacation.

“Because if children start attending schools and kindergartens now, then cases of diseases will sharply increase again by the time of the New Year,” says Hunanyan.

While the closure has been related to the outbreak of seasonal flu, the public also worries whether Swine Flu might also be on the rise, with the number having risen by about 20 since last week, to 104 cases.