Gvt introduces daily COVID-19 screening of learners, schools staff

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The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Cain Mathema says as winter is slowly setting in, a systematic disease surveillance procedure has been activated which requires daily screening of all learners and staff during the school term.

Mathema said all flue-like illnesses should be handled with due care screened.

“Within the context of the national COVID-19 response, the Primary and Secondary Education ministry, in collaboration with the Health and Child Care ministry, have put in place a systematic disease surveillance procedure which requires daily screening of all learners and staff during the school term.

“This surveillance and monitoring system has been a success as many cases of COVID-19, that would otherwise go undetected, have been identified and managed through the school system. Our schools have become a necessary barometer for detection and management of COVID-19 nationwide,” he said.

Speaking through a press statement, the minister called for enhanced cooperation between responsible authorities, school authorities, parents, and members of the communities as a whole in putting measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“The ministry, hereby requests the enhanced contribution of responsible authorities, teachers, learners, school development committees, parents or guardians, members of communities around schools and all stakeholders towards prevention of the spread of COVID-19.

“As the 2021 winter season is approaching, the success of the preventive measures against the spread of COVID-19 among learners depends heavily on the leadership of each school head as well as the cooperation among teachers, learners, their parents or guardians and communities at large,” Mathema said.

-Zwnews