8 Positive COVID – 19 Cases Lead to Closure of UHURU Primary School
The Ministry of Education has elected to close Uhuru Primary School located in Nyandarua County for two days after tests conducted in the school revealed eight pupils had contracted COVID-19.
Nyandarua County Government released a statement saying that COVID-19 tests in the school had been done following complaints of diarrhea and vomiting from fifty students.
“On Monday, the 14th of June 2021, 20 more pupils visited the facility with similar symptoms. This group however also reported a fever above 39 degrees Celsius and sore throats. Upon being subjected to an antigen test, eight of them tested positive for COVID-19,” read a Nyandarua County Government statement.
Officials from the county have since assigned a team to conduct more tests to reveal the exact number of pupils that the COVID-19 virus infected.
There have been growing concerns over the school calendar with a fourth wave of COVID-19 looming in the horizon.
The Ministry of Health cautioned last month that infections of the virus could rise in the coming months causing concerns over the education sector.
The Acting Director of Health Dr. Patrick Amoth revealed that patterns of the virus from March 2020 to March 2021 hints at a looming fourth outbreak.
“Our analysis shows we had a peak in July and after three months we had another in November. We can categorically state that if this trend continues, our next peak should be in July,” said Amoth.
All learners will resume learning for the first term of 2021 on the 26th of July. The 10 weeks will end on the 10th of October.
Stakeholders in the education sector have implored the government to make proper planning as the projected peak is expected to be at the same time when there will be a lot of movements across the country.
“This is the time for the government to plan ahead. We should not wait for the peak. Put all plans in place before that time so that we do not have maximum impact,” said Nicholas Maiyo, the National Parent’s Association Chairman.
He urged lockdown measures to be implemented gradually to ensure the safety of the future of learners.
“We particularly take issue with bars because they are super – spreaders and the sooner stricter operation rules are implemented, the better,” added Maiyo.
Managers of private schools said that schools are safe and urged caution that infections could actually come from the children’s homes.
“We have advised our members to regularly communicate with their parents on the need to abide by the protocols at home so that infections do not come to schools,” said the Private Schools Association Chairperson.
Kahi Indimuli, the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) National Chairman, said that learners will be moving a lot in July as one term will be ending as another will be starting.
“We shall have children going home for break and at the same time all the children even those who had been home reporting for the start of term one and this needs proper planning,” said the KESSHA National Chairperson.
The National KESSHA chairperson said that part of the planning should be the release of the Sh. 13 billion capitations to schools to enable them to make proper planning to receive learners.
“Schools will need the money to plan to receive the children. We need to ensure the protocols are implemented and this will require adequate resources,” said Kahi Indimuli.
Indimuli also urged teachers to be vaccinated to ensure they do not become super-spreaders of the disease.
“We have seen that children are not affected. It is teachers and support staff who are prone to infections and they must be vaccinated,” said Kahi Indimuli.
As of 19th of May 2021, data from the Ministry of Health showed that 148, 353 teachers had received the COVID-1 9 jab.
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