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How to protect learners from Covid-19 infections
Students register and have their temperature readings taken at Luzira Secondary School in October 2020. Photo/File
What you need to know:
- Dr Misaki Wayengera, the head of the government scientific advisory committee, told Daily Monitor yesterday that one of the major challenges they experienced in the past was school leaders concealing Covid-19 infections.
Scientists have warned that full reopening of schools and the economy next month could drastically increase Covid-19 infections and cause a third wave if preventive measures are ignored.
To keep learners safe and avoid infections in schools, experts prescribed a raft of measures, including strict adherence to handwashing, wearing face masks, observing social distancing, prompt reporting of cases by school leaders, and vaccination to curb infections and severe illnesses.
The government first closed schools in March last year.
Tertiary institutions and universities have been allowed to reopen gradually after the second lockdown in June.
Pre-primary pupils have, however, never stepped foot in class since the first closure in 2020.
Dr Misaki Wayengera, the head of the government scientific advisory committee, told Daily Monitor yesterday that one of the major challenges they experienced in the past was school leaders concealing Covid-19 infections.
“Of course, we also set a bad precedent when we closed some of the nursing schools because of Covid-19. But some of the places, we closed them because the situation had got out of hand. If you have cases and they are being taken out [to treatment centres], it is much easier to control that situation,” he said.
He added: “I hope school owners will be more cooperative in reporting cases. And we pray that the emerging variants bring the pandemic to an end.”
Dr Wayengera said the Omicron variant, which was first reported in South Africa, with seven cases detected in Uganda, could contain or bring the pandemic to an end.
He said people infected with the Omicron variant have mild disease unlike some of the previous variants.
The expert said relying on temperature guns should be reconsidered because it is not efficient in detecting infected people.
Vaccines key
Prof Pontiano Kaleebu, the director of Uganda Virus Research Institute, said vaccination of vulnerable people such as teachers, elders and children, who are at higher risk of developing severe disease after infection, is central in safe reopening of schools.
“We hope the disease again will be less severe in young people as it already happened. If parents and teachers are vaccinated, they will be protected from severe disease even if they contract the virus,” he added.
The Ministry of Health statistics indicate that coronavirus has so far infected 128,212 people and killed 3,269 since the outbreak last year.
We couldn’t determine the exact number of children who have been infected or those who died.
The ministry’s data also shows that 7.9 million out of 30 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have so far been administered in the country since inoculation started in March. Dr Wayengera concedes that Uganda is still grappling with vaccine hesitancy.
Dr Henry Kajumbula, the head of infection control and prevention in the government scientific advisory committee, said the basic practices of social distancing, handwashing and wearing of face masks must be enforced by school leaders.
Dr Wayengera, however, believes minimising infections in schools will even be more complicated because young children who are exempted from wearing masks will be studying.
“When you look at young children who are not meant to wear masks, it becomes very hard to protect them from infection. But bigger children above seven can wear masks,” Dr Misaki said.
