21/09/2020
THE TRUST SCHOOL COVID 19 INFORMATION GUIDE
The first COVID-19 case in Nigeria was confirmed on 27th February, 2020 in Lagos.
COVID-19 is caused by a virus that spreads through droplets released when an infected person coughs or sneezes. A person can become infected with this new coronavirus by being in close contact (within 2 metres) with a person infected with COVID-19. Infection can also spread by touching a surface that an infected person coughed or sneezed on.
Skilled public health teams, led by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, are monitoring the situation daily.
3. HOW IS COVID-19 SPREAD?
The spread of COVID-19 is most likely to happen when there is close contact (within 2 metres) with an infected person. The risk increases the longer someone has close contact with an infected person.
Droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes (respiratory secretions) containing the virus are most likely to be the most common means of transmission.
There are two routes by which people could become infected:
o Secretions can be directly transferred into the mouths or noses of people who are nearby (within 2 metres) or could be inhaled into the lungs
o It is also possible that someone may become infected by touching a surface or object that has been contaminated with respiratory secretions (such as touching a doorknob or shaking hands with an infected) and then touching their own mouth, nose or eyes.
2. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19?
The incubation period of COVID-19 is between 2 and 14 days. This is the time between when a person gets infected and when they start showing symptoms. If a person remains well 14 days after contact with someone with confirmed COVID-19, it is unlikely that they have been infected.
The following symptoms may develop in the 14 days after exposure to someone who has COVID-19 infection:
SERIOUS SYMPTOMS
Difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, Loss of speech or movement.
MOST COMMON SYMPTOMS
Fever, dry cough and tiredness.
LESSON COMMON SYMPTOMS
Arches, and pains, soar throat, diarrhea, conjunctivitis and headache, loss of taste or smell, rashes on skin, dis-colouration of fingers or toes.
4. HOW CAN YOU PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19?
The best way to prevent infection and spread of COVID-19 is to avoid being exposed to the virus by following basic hand and respiratory hygiene measures.
The NCDC recommends that schools and other learning institutions take the following measures:
Ensure that students and staff wash their hands often; it is advised that the teachers supervise younger children.
Ensure that an alcohol-based sanitizer is made available at all entrances to the school.
Students and teachers should cover their mouth and nose with tissue when coughing or sneezing. Throw the used tissue away into a closed bin and wash your hands. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your flexed (bent) elbow. Have tissues available. A demonstration should also be done on how to sneeze into their elbow if no tissue is available.
Students and teachers who feel unwell should stay at home and should not attend school or any educational or public setting.
Students, staff and visitors should wash their hands:
o before leaving home
o on arrival at school
o after using the toilet
o after breaks and sporting activities
o before preparing food
o before eating any food, including snacks
o before leaving school
o Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
o Avoid close contact with people who are unwell
o Schools should clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
o Limit the number of visitors to your school; parents, care-givers and drivers should drop students off at the school entrance.
6. WHAT TO DO IF A CASE OF COVID-19 (STUDENT OR STAFF) IS SUSPECTED IN YOUR SCHOOL
If anyone has been in contact with a suspect case in a school, they should contact NCDC on 0800 9700 0010. While laboratory test results for COVID-19 are awaited, there is no need to close the facility or send students or staff home. Until the outcome of test results is known there is no action that staff members need to take apart from ensuring basic hygiene advice is followed and school premises are kept clean and waste is disposed of. Once the results arrive, where tests are negative for COVID-19, parents will be advised and return to school classes as normal.
8. WHAT TO DO IF STUDENTS OR STAFF IN YOUR INSTITUTION ARE CONTACTS OF A CONFIRMED CASE OF COVID-19 WHO WAS SYMPTOMATIC WHILE ATTENDING YOUR SCHOOL
The definition of a contact includes:
any student or staff member in close face-to-face or touching contact including those undertaking small group work (within 2 metres of the case for more than 15 minutes)
talking with or being coughed on for any length of time while the individual is symptomatic
anyone who has cleaned up any of the bodily fluids of the individual
close friendship groups
any student or staff member living in the same household as a confirmed case, or equivalent setting such as boarding school dormitory or other student accommodation
Contacts are not considered cases and if they are well, they are very unlikely to have spread the infection to others, however:
they should be asked to self-isolate at home, or within their boarding school dormitory room, for 14 days from the last time they had contact with the confirmed case
they will be actively followed up by NCDC
if they develop any symptoms within their 14-day observation period they should contact NCDC on 0800 9700 0010
if they become unwell with cough, fever or shortness of breath they will be tested for COVID-19
if they are unwell at any time within their 14-day observation period and they test positive for COVID-19, they will become a confirmed case and will be treated for the infection
Family and friends who have not had close contact (as listed above) with the original confirmed case do not need to take any precautions or make any changes to their own activities such as limiting attendance at school or work, unless they become unwell.
If a confirmed case occurs in a school, NCDC will provide further advice and will work with the head teacher, principal and or proprietor for further guidance. Outside those that are defined as close contacts, the rest of the school does not need to take any precautions, apart from basic hand and respiratory hygiene practices. No further changes to activities linked with attending school or work as usual, unless they become unwell, will be necessary.
ROLE OF PARENTS
Parents are expected to observe the following
Wear face mask for all student coming to school.
Ensure the parent wait for the thermometer reading of the child
Provide extra facemask in the school bag
Write student’s name in the inner part of the face mask for identification
Ensure you child washes his hand before leaving
Ensure that any child with any of the symptoms of COVID 19 is not brought to the school
Where you have evidence of COVID 19 patient in your compound ensure you self-isolate for 14 days with the student or conduct the covid 19 test to ascertain you and your child status.
Where any of the parent is treating COVID 19 virus isolate the child until after the mandatory period of 14 days before the child is brought back to school.
Cooperate with the school if for any reason best known to the teachers that your child or ward will not be allowed into the school until either the temperature goes down or the identifiable symptom(s) are over.
Cooperate with the school if the find it fit to keep your child or ward in isolation room for reason best known to them.
Where a child is sick and the child is referred to our reference hospital, the parents will be informed accordingly and the bills incurred by the students will be paid by the parent.
Parents should also inform the school of any CONFIRMED COVID 19 case in their neighbourhood especially where if they have reason to believe that a student of the school is residing in the victim’s compound.
Avoid handshake with any teachers
Do not touch any other child except your own child, no matter how close you are to the family of the student.
All these rules apply to anybody that is mandated to pick a student of our school.
COVD TESTING CENTERS
Abeokuta - Abeokuta 250 MTR, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta
Ota - Ogun State General Hospital, Ota
Shagamu - Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Shagamu
Ijebu Ode - State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode
Ifo - Peaklane School, Alagbole, Ojodu Area
Ogun State MOEST HELP Lines: 09070149404, 09085651460
54 Gene Customer Line 0700342667363 - www.ogmoest.org
NCDC LINE: - 080097000010
Ogun state Ministry of Health help line: 08188978392, 08188978393
