The Kenya Medical Association (KMA) has cautioned the Education and Health Ministries against reopening of schools in October as planned by the task force.
Mr.Andrew Were, KMA chairman, speaking during a press conference emphasized that the government needed to prove that schools are safe for resumption
It also asked the Government to provide evidence that the epidemiological pattern of the pandemic is well known before reopening.
It further stated that the government should have enough data to justify that the risk of community transmission is eliminated or significantly reduced before reopening schools.
The government should also prove that the country is prepared to handle any potential surge in the transmission that might result from reopening.
KMA further asked the Education Ministry not to use students as guinea pigs. The government should have enough sufficient data to support the decision to reopen schools.
We need to get information from the community initiative whether community transmission has been eliminated completely so that we can allow our children to go back to school.
“We believe our children are the future of this country and they need to be protected. We need not to use them as guinea pigs by opening schools without adequate data to support that,” stated Were.
He called upon the government to increase the Covid-19 isolation and treatment facilities in the country as learning is set to resume in October.
The KMA Chairman also wanted the government to provide masks for students especially pediatric ones for children in lower primary and nursery.
KMA warned that the low Covid-19 cases in the country being reported are as a result of few tests being conducted, and not due to the flattening of the curve.
The preferred school reopening date has been set to Monday, October 19, 2020 by the Covid 19 Education Response Committee.
Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha, however, stated that the recommendation will be subject to further review.
