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Education department delivers virus guidelines to schools

Photo by Johnny Bugeja.

The Department of Education has circulated Public Health guidelines to all schools in Gibraltar, which includes information on groups who are vulnerable to Covid-19.
In a statement the Gibraltar Government said the virus can cause more severe symptoms in people with a weakened immune system, older people generally over the age of 70 years, and those with long term conditions like heart disease, poorly controlled diabetes, poorly managed blood pressure and chronic lung disease.
“Children are less affected than other age groups and very few cases in children have been reported,” the government said.
“Children may not have any symptoms but may pass on the virus.”
The government confirmed schools will remain open and will operate as usual, but children have been advised to wash their hands thoroughly and frequently.
“All schools have been provided with alcohol-based hand sanitisers and children are encouraged to bring along their refillable water bottle to school,” the government said.
“Should they not have one, children will still have access to drinking water in disposable paper cups.”
The school cleaning teams will be cleaning and disinfecting surfaces within the school grounds with a disinfectant known to be effective in dealing with coronaviruses in clinical environments.
The general principles being encouraged in schools include frequent hand washing, and covering your cough or sneezing with a tissue.
Pupils, students, staff and visitors have been advised that they should wash their hands before leaving home, on arrival at school, after using the toilet, after breaks and sporting activities, before food preparation, before eating any food, including snacks and before leaving school.
“At present, the risk of infection is limited in those who have not been to any of the at-risk listed countries in the last 14 days,” the government said.
“Flu and other viruses are much more common. Encouraging flu vaccination will not protect against COVID-19, but it will stop the chance of getting infected with both together.”
If you are worried about your symptoms or those of a child or colleague, contact the GHA 111 helpline and follow their recommendations.