Coronavirus: GES orders suspension of public activities

Schools in Ghana have been ordered to suspend all public activities on the back of two confirmed cases of the deadly coronavirus in the country.

“All schools are to suspend all public activities such as speech and prize-giving days until further directives are given by the Director-General,” the Ghana Education Service announced Friday.

Two persons, a Ghanaian and Norwegian, who recently arrived in the country tested positive to the covid-19 pandemic which has infected over….and killed more than ….globally.

Health officials have since moved in to contain the spread of the virus by conducting contact tracing.

The Norwegian Embassy in Accra where one of the infected persons works, has since Friday shut down operations from its premises as all staff have been quarantined.

A statement from the GES Friday announcing precautionary measures said education materials on the coronavirus developed in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service have been deployed to all schools across the country.

“Regional and District Education Directors are to ensure that heads of schools make the materials readily available to staff and students. Educational Directors are also expected to liaise with their respective Regional and District Health Directors to ensure smooth education campaign in the schools,” the statement directed.

Also, all schools have been asked to intensify education on hand washing with soap under running water.

“In the light of this, all schools are to be supported to provide ‘veronica buckets’ and ‘Tippy Taps’ and soaps made available to ensure that children wash their hands frequently,” another statement jointly issued by the GES and the Ghana Health Service directed.

A toll free number 199 has been introduced for schools to immediately report suspected case for a standby health teams to respond and take immediate action

It assured the general public measures being put in place to ensure that “our pupils, students and staff are informed and well protected from the disease”.