Federal Government directs schools to conduct weekly COVID-19 assessments

The Federal Government has directed schools across the country to conduct weekly coronavirus assessment as more schools set to resume for academic activities.

The directive is contained in a new guideline released by the Centre for Disease Control to further prevent the spread of COVID-19 as more states fully reopen schools on Monday.

According to guideline, local governments and states were also directed to conduct monthly and quarterly COVID-19 risk assessment in schools respectively.

The NCDC Director General, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, stated these on Thursday.

According to the NCDC, the assessment will determine schools’ level of compliance with safety protocols including physical distancing, hand-washing and the use of face masks, whose violation can put students at risk of COVID-19.

Schools across the country were shut in March as part of measures to check the spread of COVID-19.

But the Senior Secondary School 3 students resumed on August 17 to write the West African Senior School Examinations.

At its press conference on September 3, the PTF recommended phased reopening of schools.

Premised on PTF’s recommendation, states that have announced dates for reopening of their schools include Ogun, Lagos, Osun, Ekiti, Delta and Kogi States. States, where schools are resuming on Monday, include Lagos, Ekiti , Osun and Ogun.