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The Eastern Cape Education has confirmed that there are 20 covid19 positive cases in the school system across the province.
Department spokesperson, Loyiso Pulumani, said in a statement on Wednesday that there were 15 teachers, three learners and two non-teaching staff who have contracted COVID 19.
“The standard operating procedure says that any person who tests positive should inform the school management team, circuit and district,” he said.
“That person will also have informed the school of their symptoms before the test and contact tracing will be done by the Health Department and they will follow their procedure and advise on who in the school would need to be tested or isolated for self-quarantine,” he added.
Pulumani said that persons under investigation are those who have symptoms and have opted to undergo testing, thus necessitating the closure of the school or class to limit the spread of the disease.
“Our school support teams have been trained and capacitated with PPE’s and cleaning agents to attend to any case that necessitates the closure of the school. Each school has a certain number of the SST specifically for this reason,” he said.
Pulumani said schools do not need to be closed for an indefinite time as cleaning occurs.
“After advice from the Health Department on who needs to isolate and cleaning has been done, schooling can resume,” he added.
The Eastern Cape Education Department said that it was reliant on “science-led interventions” in this uncertain time and will not willingly put any learner or teacher's life in danger.
“Adherence to these operating procedures is a non-negotiable and action will be taken against any principal who opens a school that has not been cleaned or where there is a lack of PPE,” Pulumani said.
He said they were working with their Health Department colleagues and every school has been paired with a health professional to attend to the needs within the school.
