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Several dorm students test positive for COVID-19 as schools reopen – Dr. Anthony
Several public school students who reside in dormitories have tested positive for the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) ahead of the reopening of schools Monday.
This was revealed by Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony who disclosed that the Ministry of Health started COVID-19 tests on the dormitory students over the weekend as schools reopened for face-to-face engagement for students in Grades 10, 11 and 12.
“All the students coming back to the dorms would be tested…So far, over the last couple of days of testing we found a number of students who were positive and those have been placed isolation,” he said noting that the students are asymptomatic.
The students have since been placed in isolation for the required period of time and according to the Health Minister, should the students develop severe symptoms, they will be treated and monitored.
“The students are placed in a separate room and will be given food and education materials so that they can continue their learning and once they stop getting any signs and symptoms, then we follow the protocol to release them from isolation,” Dr. Anthony told the Department of Public Information (DPI).
The Minister said he expects “quite a few” positive cases as students from across the country return to schools. Testing is ongoing.
“We have dorms schools in Essequibo, we have one in Region One, Region Eight and Region Nine. Then there’s President’s College. So, they are coming from different parts of the country coming into these schools and therefore, we have to be vigilant. So that’s why as yet, we don’t have a comprehensive number because not all of the students have come back in as yet,” he said.
Minister Anthony gave assurances that close monitoring of schools will continue to ensure that everyone is kept safe.
Prior to schools being reopened, meetings were held with Regional Health Officers and Regional Education Officers to plan for their respective regions. Mechanisms have also been put in place for PCR tests to be returned to the laboratory quickly for analysis. (Modified from DPI)
