Many schools in Nigeria have taken measures recommended by government to prevent the spread o COVID 19 as schools reopen. However we have recently heard in the news that almost 200 student tested positive to Covid 19 in a private school in Lagos. So the question is no longer the sanitizer and face mask prevention but what to do should this happen in your school.

The US government has come up with suggestions on what to do in such cases which I believe we have a lot to learn rom over here in Africa. Below is their advice:

If a college student displays coronavirus symptoms:

• In case of an emergency, 999 (emergency number in the US)should be called, instead of visiting the pharmacy, urgent care centre or a hospital. Where this applies, parents or legal guardians should be called to collect the student and take them home – and they should be advised that all household members will need to isolate.
• While the student is waiting to be collected by a member of their household, they should be moved to an isolated room and a window should be opened for ventilation. “If it is not possible to isolate them, move them to an area which is at least two metres away from other people”.
• The local health protection team (HPT) should be informed immediately. The HPT will work with you to carry out a rapid risk assessment and identify appropriate next steps.
• With HPT advice, close contacts of the symptomatic individual need to be identified, and contact tracers will inform them that they need to self-isolate for 14 days.
• For students who are isolating, remote access to learning should be ensured.
• “A template letter will be provided to you, on the advice of the health protection team, to send to students, parents, carers and staff if needed.”
• The government stresses that settings must not share the names of people with Covid-19 unless essential to protect others.Staff caring for a student while they are awaiting collection should maintain two-metre distancing or wear suitable personal protective equipment (PPE).
• If a student tests positive: If the student needs to go to the bathroom while waiting to be collected, they should use a separate bathroom if possible, and the bathroom should be cleaned and disinfected using standard cleaning products before being used by anyone else. Anyone who had contact with the symptomatic student must wash their hands thoroughly for 20 seconds.
• The student should be advised to get tested and notify the college of the results. “A small number of testing kits are being provided to you. Consider providing a home-testing kit, in line with the guidance on use, where you think providing one will significantly increase the likelihood of them getting tested. ”Once the student has left the premises, all surfaces they came in contact with should be thoroughly disinfect and cleaned