But even while there are two variants to be wary of, so far the reopening of schools has been calmer than most expected. Of course, there are teachers and students contracting the virus, but Dr Manzanero said that there have been no major outbreaks at any one school. He explained, though, that it's important for schools to continue to maintain their protocols and for the Ministry of Education to work with them.
Dr. Russell Manzanero, Medical Epidemiologist, MOH
"We haven't had any reported cluster or spread or mention of being detected in schools or they are spreading. What we have is perhaps individuals who have infected outside, taken it in. We do know of instances where there might be a smaller number there, but is able to be contained. What we do see is that we are working along with the ministry of education and I don't know that many have in place their SOPs. It is in communication with our surveillance teams throughout the country, so that is engaged and it is activated. If there is a need to continue it, I know it's a lot on the schools, the responsibility on the schools and the teachers itself, it is a lot. When you are sending your kids to schools, its a risk, especially in our group of children who are not vaccinated. When you are talking about children who are in high schools or secondary level, they already have some form of protection and they are able to access it, If they haven't, then they should, because we are still looking at that there is a risk when you go back. Now the paediatric population would be the younger population, the ones that are the primary level, there is a concern there, our children are not vaccinated, so the public health measures and the social distancing within schools and the protocols that each of these school need to be enforced, so it is not only on the ministry of health, but I don't know that the ministry of education has to take their part as well that these are the measures that have to be set in place at each school and each school is different. Each school has to do their own measure as well."
