Government looking to implement COVID testing regime in schools
The Ministry of Health and the Education Ministry are looking at plans to implement COVID testing regimes in schools once these educational institutions reopen for face-to-face learning.
In a stakeholder meeting to address the impact of the recent COVID-19 surge, Acting Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Ronald Georges said these discussions are in their infant stages.
He also said testing children on regular basis, once school returns face-to-face, is one of the ways to ensure the safety of everyone and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the territory’s educational institutions.
“Obviously, the online school is quite a challenge for everybody really. So, countries around the world are dealing with this in different ways. For example, in different schools in the UK and the US, you would have seen testing regiments which may be weekly rapid testing, twice-weekly rapid testing, thrice-weekly rapid testing. These all have cost implications and there are different strategies where they would either test the entire population repeatedly or they would do more opportunistic testing,” the Acting CMO said.
“Essentially, putting a testing regiment in school is quite important in reducing the risk of infections in school and allowing schools to open safely. Right at this time, we are in the midst of an Omicron outbreak. Once things settle down, I know the Education Ministry has plans to reopen schools as quickly as they can and do have plans to review various strategies we can use to implement testing regimes in schools to ensure that we can reopen schools face-to-face in a safe manner,” he added.
Nasopharyngeal test would not be used
The Acting CMO said the testing, like in the UK and the US, will either be the saliva test or the nasal test. He clarified that the nasal test that would be conducted is not the nasopharyngeal test. The nasopharyngeal test is the one that goes to the back of the throat and people often refer to it as the brain scrape.
“But the nasal test is really just the front of the nose and not as invasive and uncomfortable. In most programmes, the children do them by themselves and pass it to the person who can then conduct the rapid test,” Dr Georges said.
He also warned parents that once schools return to face-to-face, it is important not to send sick children to school. According to Dr Georges, COVID-19 symptoms in children tend to be mild and therefore easily transmissible.
“Inform the schools because for the two or three days prior to the child being sick, they might be infectious, and it is important for the school to know to inform other parents to be able to take measures as far as they can,” he said.
The Acting CMO further noted that schools are special environments and it is difficult for them to adhere to the recommended six feet space. However, Dr Georges said this is one of the main reasons why the BVI has followed the recommendation by the UK and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in reducing the spacing to three feet.
“That is simply because it is just difficult to manage that environment with that kind of spacing. So, the schools present specific challenges” he added.
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We are not testing the tourists coming in but we testing our school children. Wow!
Be realistic. How many locals come into close contact with the tourists.? Whereas in the schools the students are constantly in close contact with each other and the teacher.
So who’s dealing with the tourist, aint the locals that would go home to their family etc?
They all should be tested….
@ WOW Actually on just about a daily basis I meet tourists in town not wearing masks. When I get near to them (making sure I have on my mask), what I would do is gently say “good morning, even when we have gotten both vaccines we’re to wear our masks”. Once when I looked back, they kindly put on their masks. I hope that they don’t think that here is a bird sanctuary.
Please stop harassing people and giving the BVI a bad name, Wearing masks outdoors is not necessary or required as Covid spreads INDOORS.
You’re an idiot. I have been travelling recently, and you have to take a test before arrival. What exactly is going to show up the day after?
All tourists have been fully vaccinated (or had to quarantine for 7 days) and had to present a negative Covid test within 2days of arriving (or get tested at ferry or airport). Your tourists are the safest group of people to have around!
But yet the same ships leaving here are rejected by the next port because they full of covid.
Make it make sense!
Myron come help this man! More crap again! We tired.
Not practicable without significant increase in Human Resources. So, it shall remain just a thought.
Who is making money off these tests? Follow the money to find the criminals. Tests are being sold on line for $8.00. Imagine what we are paying in the BVI .
Fortunes are being made off this plandemic, by some, others losing money like crazy..
Now they want to put chemical infested tests up every school child noses?? Who is making how much???
Just say, “NOOOOOOO!”
The saliva test is so simple. Spit in the test well and that is it. Why are you making a big deal out of nothing?
I do not agree with this idea. Because you can test today and next 4 day you are positive. This is a waste of money and resources. At the same time please educate yourself, before you start spreading propaganda, there is no chemical going up the children noses. It is just a piece of cotton on a piece of stick. The cotton is place in the chemical and tested after.
The inventor of the pcr test clearly stated that the test should not be used for those purpose that they are using them for,but they still do it anyway.(money). Evidence have shown that the test are not accurate most times and it causes confusion. Most dangerously they contain E/O Ethylene Oxide which is a sterilizing agent and is responsible for cancer causing activities.
Just wondering if Big Pharma is in the business healing people or getting them sick to have a reoccurring customer. I think the whole world is at risk having this chemical inserted there bodies on a regular basis. Back in the days when there were no pcr test,we all made it through schools with all those other diseases and when someone was sick they either stay home or seek medical attention. Not go around checking to see if everyone is sick.
The nasal swab or the saliva tests are rapid tests, not PCR testing. The PCR tests are what they refer to as nasopharyngeal tests which people call the brain scrape. The Saliva and nasal swab are all rapid tests. Stop spreading false information.
Stop getting youself stray away from the point.Its not about differentiating the test. Its about looking at testing as a whole and the acuracy and the dangers of them. No one is actually sure which test the government is refering to because evidence has shown that the goal post is always changing. The health ministry has never talk about E/O and the dangers it can cause on your body especially when they stick that test far down your nose hole to hit the brain barrier. Its about all test to be inspected if its doing more harm than good.What is false information about asking questions.
Like one blogger said;
Truth dont mind being questioned but lies dont like to be challanged.
“Truth dont mind being questioned but lies dont like to be challanged.”
That explains your reaction to being challenged.
That actually explains your response back at him. He answered your stuff now you come back and throw a wet noodle at him. cmon debate lesson #1
Not my children. They will stay home and do school online if that’s the case.
This government only seem to have balls when it comes to victimizing certain people. Just like we have immunization requirements (and relevant exemptions) they should mandate that the kids are vaccinated before returning to school. Why push the vaccines on everyone else but now the kids cannot attend school because of COVID? Many parents are fully vaccinated only to have to stay home with kids because of no school. Grow some balls and put things in place. Vaccinated kids can attend school, wear masks, social distance and be sent home if displaying any symptoms. The other kids will continue online until it’s deemed ‘safe’ to have all kids in school. Fear mongering and kicking the can down the road while our school children suffer going on a 5th year since Irma.
Will they be mandating the boosters every 6 months too? Hmm? Some of yall being led by the noose cause you can’t see past your own noses
Even at a time like this persons still stand to make millions and suck countries dry. Political puppets of corruption span all across the globe. PM of the UK having large parties during lock down while families and business suffer. The BVI is no different, they come on the news and social media scolding persons for the surge. When in fact there has been wide scale levels of corrupt practices of letting travelers that test positive still enter and roam free. Why because a vax..con is a bullet proof vest from hospitalisation which is not the case. Some of these same politicians and their fully vax..conned families been sick with covid severely and downplayed The BVI is a very small place I have friends who became very I’ll with COVID despite being fully vax..conated. The truth is unless people come forward with their stories publicly they’ll always be doubt. Other countries are openly showing data on vax..con injuries from minor to severe is the BVI batch of Vax..cons a unique blend? Is there anyone that suffered after taking the vax…cons suffered of coarse I know a few but their doctors are also afraid to come public with the info in the rise of issues that persons are having. It’s easy to blame it on age and underlying issues but no way can this perfect medical product have an issue. Back to testing, this news or others need to investigate the person who’s contracted to provide the testing products for the hospital and more upcoming news will be revealed. This is not about health but wealth for those in a small circle who stands to gain the most out of this plandemic. You can like or dislike but you’re being Vax…conned.
Horrible idea. This will perpetuate the pandemic, not slow it. Stop testing and quarantining healthy kids. Omicron is the sniffles. They need to be in school.
Stop with the darn testing period. The virus is not gaming anyone more than the normal flu. You all quarantining healthy asymptomatic people for no reason. Even Fauci suggested everyone will get omicron. We are sick and tired of this. Sending people home who just happened to by chance get tested for whatever reason. If they didn’t get tested they would have carried on like normal. Focus on make in public spaces and hand washing. Simple at this stage. Stop crippling economies trying to remain relevant and gold on to power. Nobody should be in any 10 day quarantine nonsense. Stop t r sting and driving up the number of cases. 14 persons out of 6,000 (reported and unreported) infected people are sick and with other conditions. That is not worthy of this alarm. The regular flu is worse than this.
We have a testing system that the public don’t have confidence in..So are we going to have positive kids going to school and negative kids out of school because of a flaw testing system…?…Let’s first work and bring credibility to the testing…Find out what’s going on with it. Do some public education on it…
Government just was looking to cut cost on testing upon arrival and tourist going to the hotels being tested positive at the hotels. AS A RESULT, The staff get exposed, ridiculous.
There is no shortcut when it comes to one’s health. Stop the BS. People need to behavior like there is still a pandemic and follow protocols and stop behaving as it festival season the minute cases are low. Whether its only a flu this time,stay in your homes, others might not be that lucky.
If they can afford to test so many school children why they shouldn’t test tourist upon arrival?
All this panic for COVID and everybody eating chicken & Chips, pigtail, ham, jerk pork, mac pie, scallop potato and don’t forget, A LOT OF SAUCE ON THE RICE AND 2 SODA PLEASE!
It’s no coincidence that most people hospitalized with Covid are massively obese.
We all sluxing down and they aint checking that.Plus christmas just gone with plenty sluxing…
Who will be paying for these tests?
Go get the schools fixed instead of wasting money on these tests. The children and teachers need a proper place to attend school and resources.
In a live interview with Fox news,The man that gives advise to governments (Dr.Anthony Fauci) was asked if he is going to take a test and he said.
He is not going to take a test because he have no symptoms,so there is no reason for him to take a test.Not everyone in the USA need to take a test.
What does that tell you?
If the kids are healthy and have no symptoms you dont need to test them. If they are feeling sick then seek medical attention which would most likely include testing.
By the way,why is a covid test that expensive?Is this another money making strategy?
I recall that when this topic first came up (when it was said that someone voiced in the news media, that they would sue the govt. if this was mandated); someone commented that in the US, the consent of parents is needed for this to happen. It also provided the relevant website for verification. Where do we in the VI stand with human rights policies and violations. It is listed in the contents of The Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007 (ref. Chapter 2). Under this chapter, no. 34 addresses “Establishment of a Human Rights Commission”. We need to ask, where are we with the revision of our Constitution, especially in light of these weighty matters that are bordering on violating the “Fundamental Rights and Freedoms of the individual”.