Coronavirus spreads through the air, the same as influenza and coughing virus, so we can catch it easily and quickly.
This virus generally occurs in overcrowded areas, and schools are among the most important and vulnerable places against the spread of covid-19.
Using precautionary measures at schools is the first protection line for our children.
Managing COVID-19 While Studying in Person
The school environment holds a huge potential for the spread of various viruses, including influenza, cough, chickenpox, and surely the coronavirus. However, panic isn’t the best way to fight the coronavirus, with proper prevention and the right handling of Precautionary Measures, it can control easily.
According to the World Health Organization, treating well can prevent Coronavirus, if everyone, especially teachers and parents, takes the right steps in dealing with the virus attack.
Dealing with The Evolution of COVID-19
The initial symptoms of the coronavirus aren’t specific and there is no difference even with upper respiratory infections between them and normal coughs and colds.
Symptoms can include fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, stuffy nose, general weakness, headache, and muscle aches.
For this reason, Advice teachers and parents not to resort to wrong procedures in treatment, like using prescriptions shared on social media which not supported by clear and trusted sources.
The correct step in this situation is to invite children who suffer from fever, weakness, and pallor to check the temperature immediately in the health unit room in the school and present them to specialized doctors to provide the right treatment plan.
Parents also need to continue to see the doctor in case of any symptoms, even if it’s a normal cold, whatever the disease, prompt and appropriate treatment will prevent the disease from getting worse.
Hands Cleansing
The main preventive step is hand washing very well with soap, despite the simplicity of this step, but it is the most important.
Teachers and parents should make it a habit for children to wash their hands at every mealtime, after going to the bathroom, after playing and doing activities, and also when the child comes home after school.
The World Health Organization also added that washing hands after touching the house pets or animal products, and also not to contact wild animals, garbage, or dirty liquids unless wearing gloves.
For this reason, schools need to provide proper handwashing facilities, which enable children to have access to clean water and soap.
Parents should also provide hand sanitizer or wet wipes for preventive use, and parents should be also alerted that using a garbage bin to dispose of those wipes after use.
Classrooms Disinfection
Carrying out regular cleaning of classrooms with disinfectants by the school bearing in mind that classrooms are generally closed and become a potential space for the spread of the virus.
Disinfection not only in the classroom but the tables, books, and toys that many children often touch also regularly to reduce the spread of viruses and bacteria.
Using Face Shields and Masks
Face shields and masks are an important element in preventing the spreading of the Coronavirus because the virus transmits through the air, so wearing a mask can reduce transmission of infection to an 80% rate.
The World Health Organization also indicated that masks can be the regular surgical masks and not necessarily the N95 ones because N95 masks cost higher and can make children feel uncomfortable wearing them.
More About Surgical Masks
Surgical masks are those that are blue and white, white on the inside, and blue on the outside, often it is wearing reversed.
You can also buy those masks that have the children’s favorite cartoon drawings on the front of them. And that the mask to change periodically at short intervals.
As for the face shield, persuade children to use it if they are a fan of superheroes such as Superman because the idea of becoming a superhero always succeeds with children.
Parents should work to persuade children social distancing to replace physical contact such as handshakes or hugs with greetings with keeping enough distance only to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
The precautionary measures in the intermediate and secondary stages are not much different from the rest of the stages, except that the students of these stages will be more able to understand and implement the measures taken by the school.
And the students of those stages will be role models that will be followed by students in the lower age stages.
Rowad Al Khaleej International Schools Equipment
All necessary resources such as body temperature measuring tools, masks, etc. have been provided, and a professional disease prevention team has been set up at Rowad Al Khaleej International Schools to encourage the implementation of health and safety protocols.
This team is also tasked with spreading disease prevention methods, monitoring the health status of students and staff in schools, and reporting confirmed cases if there are any infected cases around them.
The number of psychologists and neuroscientists in the school has been increased to monitor the students’ social and emotional conditions in the hope that this pandemic will not undermine their morale so that they can continue to continue the learning process perfectly.
Rowad Al Khaleej International Schools confirmed that all employees received doses of the vaccine for the emerging coronavirus, that provided by the Ministry of Health in the Kingdom.
That being said, we must emphasize again that the fear of being infected with the covid-19 pandemic shouldn’t affect the educational process anymore.
As many advanced countries were able to deal with coronavirus using those precautionary measures that have proven successful.
This encouraged the rest of the world in general, and the Kingdom especially, to follow the same procedures to move forward with the decision to study in person.