Surveillance in Schools

Surveillance in schools

• Schools shall implement “Stay Home if Unwell” policy to ensure no symptomatic student, teacher, or school staff come to school. It includes;
• Relaxing rules around being absent and sick-leave.
• Not using absenteeism as a student assessment method; and providing distance learning and remote working options.
• Parents/guardians shall not send their children to school if they are showing any flu-like symptoms
• Implement the following screening/surveillance measures in schools to identify individuals exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19:
• Assign at least 2 individuals to be trained and serve as the school’s health focal person.
• Where infrared thermometers are available, initiate daily temperature screenings - an average of 3 thermometers per school
• Post community case definition for COVID-19 in schools
• Community case definition for COVID-19: A person with fever and flu like illness such as cough, sore throat, difficulty of breathing
  
• Teachers should remain alert during class time to identify any student with flu-like symptoms
• All school community members must be informed to report to the health focal person if they are experiencing symptoms like cough, fever, sore throat and difficulty breathing