COVID-19 SCARE AT SALESIAN, PUPIL IN ISOLATION

MANZINI – There was panic at Salesian High School as a pupil was suspected to be infected with the coronavirus.

This happened on the second day of the reopening of schools following their spontaneous closure on March 18, 2020.
At the school, which is located within the perimeters of the central business district (CBD) of Manzini, one of the pupils recorded a body temperature of 37°C.
According to the Head teacher, Petros Horton, the security guard then informed the school’s authorities about the high temperature reading.

Personnel from the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were contacted. However, Horton said getting hold of the EMS personnel proved futile.
At this instance, he said they decided to contact the Eswatini National Fire and Emergency Services (ENFES) to report the incident. He said the ENFES personnel were quick to respond to the distress call and upon arrival, they advised the school authorities to seek the presence of the EMS.
Horton said the reasoning behind the need for the EMS personnel was because they were trained on issues related to COVID-19.

Clinic

“The fire personnel said EMS was essential and when we contacted them, they asked if there was a nearby clinic or hospital. We responded to the affirmative; however, it was decided that it was best they see the pupil,” Horton said.
Thereafter, Horton said the officers were able to convince the EMS personnel to attend to their call and they took the pupil to the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital.

He said the school suspected that the pupil could have the common cold; however, they were not ready to take any chances as it was possible that some pupils could be asymptomatic.

The school has pupils residing in some of the hot spots that were identified by the Ministry of Health. These places include Fairview, Logoba, KaShali, Zakhele, Ngwane Park Police Camp and Mathangeni, among many. It was established that the pupil resided in one of the hot spots identified by the Ministry of Health.
Meanwhile, one of the people present when the learner was screened said: “The (boy) pupil was crying and said he was not feeling well, but the head teacher informed him that this was not a death sentence it could be just the common cold.”

On the other hand, the head teacher said he had followed up on the well-being of the pupil and had discovered that he was tested at the hospital and informed to self-isolate for two days.
Impeccable sources said the learner, when quizzed on his interactions and some of the symptoms he had, compelled personnel at RFM Hospital to suspect that he could have been exposed to COVID-19, hence he was tested.

Horton said after being tested, the learner was told that he would be contacted in two days for his results. When quizzed on what the school was doing differently, as it had pupils who were from hot spots, he said: “We’ve nothing special other than to screen them with the infrared thermometers.”
Horton said despite the panic that was caused by the reading of the learner, the pupils adapted and proceeded with their lessons for the day.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: