NO child should be required to produce a negative Corona virus (COVID-19) test certificate before being allowed into school as it is not part of the approved guidelines currently in place, the Ministry of Health has advised.
Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Dr. Kennedy Malama said both public and private schools are not allowed to request for a negative COVID-19 test certificate from learners and that they
should strictly adhere to the approved school surveillance guidelines, which were highly sensitive.
Dr. Malama further reassured parents, guardians and the public at large that the joint COVID-19 surveillance in schools and other institutions of learning remained in full effect and that the ministry was closely monitoring the situation.
He said yesterday that he was delighted that so far there had been no worrisome incidents since institutions of learning re-opened.
“Our message to the education authorities, both public and private, and to parents and guardians remains the same; no child should be required to produce a negative COVID-19 test certificate before being allowed into school as it is not part of the approved guidelines currently in place,” Dr. Malama said.
And giving a daily COVID-19 update, Dr. Malama said Zambia recorded 94 cases of COVID-19 representing two per cent positivity rate bringing the cumulative number of confirmed cases recorded to date, now stood
at 206,145.
He said three new COVID-19 related deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours preceding yesterday bringing the cumulative number to 3,599, classified as 2,696 COVID-19 deaths and 903 associated deaths.
Dr. Malama said two deaths were recorded in Lusaka and one from the Copperbelt and that only three new admissions were documented in the previous 24 hours, one of our lowest figures in months.
“290 patients were discharged from community management and isolation facilities bringing the cumulative number of recoveries to 200,952. We currently have 1,594 active cases, with 1,482 under community management and 112 admitted to our COVID-19 isolation facilities,” he said.
Dr. Malama said of those admitted, 81 were on oxygen while 27 were in critical condition showing a slight increase from yesterday’s (Sunday) figure of 24.
On COVID-19 vaccine, Dr. Malama said the country had so far administered 1,572 doses of Johnson and Johnson, as well as 78 and 122 Dose one and two of AstraZeneca vaccine.
