Test all Students and Teachers before Reopening Schools – NDC tells Government

The Covid-19 Technical Team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has implored the Akufo-Addo government to reassess and adopt new measures to avoid the risk of further spread of the disease as schools are about to reopen.

The NDC has urged the government to test all students, teaching and non-teaching staff for Covid-19 before allowing them into the schools.

They also advised government to make provision for isolation centres around campuses.

The suggestions comes at the back of the spike in infections despite the easing of covid-19 induced restrictions on some public activities in the country.

In a statement signed by Chairman of the team, Prosper Bani, the NDC noted that “Our current trajectory – with cases rising at an increasing rate – demands of Government a comprehensive, dispassionate reassessment of key aspects of its strategy for managing the epidemic.”

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According to the June 11 statement, the facts presented by the GHS “do not suggest that students, teaching and non- teaching staff can avoid significant risk of exposure to the virus as the epidemic is not under control.”

In that regard, they have recommended some measures to ensure that the President’s directive does not give more rise in new infections.

The NDC called for the “adequacy of medicines, PPEs, Covid-19 specific equipment and other relevant health infrastructure for infirmaries, sick bays and university hospitals across all academic institutions must also be holistically addressed.”

The statement added that authorities should ensure strict adherence to social distancing protocols in boarding houses and classrooms.

While emphasising the need for mass testing, the NDC’s Covid-19 Technical Team impressed on the Akufo-Addo-led administration to “articulate a strategic public health crisis management plan with focus on shortfalls in public education around Covid-19.”