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…as secondary schools hit by Covid-19
In what some at Bartica deemed placing the cart before the horse, senior students of the Three Miles Secondary School will undergo COVID-19 testing from Friday after some of their colleagues tested positive for the virus this week.
According to a statement from the Region Seven school, classes will be suspended on Friday to facilitate testing of all teachers, students and cleaners. Students of the Bartica Secondary School are also expected to be tested this weekend.
The school said that testing will be undertaken from 09:00hrs and again from 13:00hrs and parents must accompany their children to the Bartica Community Centre Ground where the testing will take place.
On Monday, regional health officials noted that 24 tests were undertaken on students and dormitory staff at the Three Miles Secondary and Bartica Secondary School. Thus far out of the 24 results received, two persons tested positive for COVID-19.
The two school dormitories were visited by the COVID-19 Regional Rapid Response Team, which is headed by Dr. Terrence George to analyse and control the situation at hand.
It was noted that provision was made to have all students who are returning from outlying areas of the region to be tested and quarantined until they receive their results.
One week and two week period of quarantine were recommended for negative and positive cases respectively. Regional officials noted that plans were in motion to visit the Waramadong Secondary School in the Upper Mazaruni District to facilitate a similar exercise.
Following reports of the positive cases among the student population, parents and residents of the town of Bartica were up in arms with the Education ministry- many noting that the entire situation could have been avoided if rapid testing was undertaken prior to reopening of schools.
It was noted that some students who live in Bartica are attending school although they reside at the same homes of recovering COVID-19 patients.
Guyana on Thursday recorded another COVID-19 casualty, the latest victim hailing from Region Four. Thus far, 138 persons have died from complications attributed to the pandemic.
