COVID-19 INFECTION CONTROL POLICY

It is the policy of Discovery Academy to provide a happy and healthy environment for every child in our care. We take measures to prevent and minimize the spread of infection in our School. To help achieve this we work in partnership with parents and/or guardians.

In order to protect the health of the children and staff, we will adhere to the following practices in line with current guidelines.

Hygiene

  • Hand washing is one of the most important ways of controlling the spread of infection. The recommended method is the use of liquid soap, water for 20 seconds and dry thoroughly.
  • Hands should always be washed after using the bathroom, before eating or handling food, and after sneezing or coughing.
  • Encourage adequate hand washing breaks for children.
  • Assist younger children in hand washing.
  • Supervise children with certain disabilities/learning difficulties with hand washing.
  • Use hand sanitizers for 40 sec when water is not available.
  • Face masks must be worn at all times.
  • Avoid sharing food, stationaries, toys, gadgets etc.

Staying Home

A sick child/staff is not able to function effectively in school/work and should rest at home until fully recovered.

The infectivity period for each condition varies. Upon returning to school a medical certificate from the attending physician or pediatrician must be provided. If the child is still considered to be a possible source of infection, parents will be asked to bring them home.

To further reduce the spread of infection please do not send your child to school if they have

  • Skin rash
  • Nasal discharge/Runny Nose
  • Sore throat
  • Persistent cough
  • Red, watery, painful or sticky (yellow discharge) eyes
  • Nausea and Vomiting (return to school after 24 hours of last episode of vomiting)
  • Fever (anyone with a temperature of 100 F or more should not be allowed to enter the school)
  • Loss of sense /taste
  • Diarrhea (return to school after 48 hours of last episode of diarrhea)

Safe Environment

Maintaining a clean environment is essential in good infection control. Adequate waste disposal bins should be provided throughout the School. Regular cleaning and disinfection of surfaces should take place with standard cleaning solution.

  • The used tissues and masks should be disposed properly.
  • Maintain social distancing at all times
  • Maintain Personal hygiene.
  • Avoid touching nose, eyes and mouth.
  • Use of outside space should be encouraged-for exercise/breaks/outdoor education.
  • Avoid overcrowding at the toilets, common areas, school entry and exit times
  • Thermal screening should be present at the entrance of the school and before boarding the bus
  • Children taking bus should checked for temperature before boarding.
  • Anyone with a temperature of 100 F should not be allowed entry.

Screening and Emergency Plan

  • If a stable case of illness is detected amongst the visitors/students/staff presenting COVID-19 symptoms, families will be contacted by the school authorities.
  • They will get isolated instantly, and the parent/guardian of the child will be notified immediately and the patient should be referred to the hospital to take necessary action.
  • The patient should not return to school until the PCR result is obtained.
  • If the result is negative and there is a clinical assessment of a probable COVID-19 case, the child can resume schooling so long as they are symptom free.
  • If the result is positive, the traced contracts of the patient including the teachers along with classmates of a student, colleagues are all considered close contacts
  • Anyone who spent more than 15 minutes in a proximity of 2 meters with the positive case, from the day of symptoms onset, or the day of the positive PCR test.
  • Please inform the school if your child or his/her close relative has been or is being treated for COVID-19

Return to school

  • CHILD/STAFF must be symptom free for 24 hours without medication before he/she can return to school.
  • The child/staff can resume schooling so long as they are symptom free if the COVID-19 test result is negative.
  • All cases of infectious disease should be away from the school for all periods of communicability.
  • Child /staff will be allowed to attend the school only with a medical certificate, stating that the child/staff is not infectious anymore.
  • The time period for each condition varies, so we request that a child/staff receives proper care at home as long as it is needed, upon returning to school, a certificate from the attending physician or pediatrician must be provided.
  • If travelling back from abroad, child/staff must undergo a quarantine period before resuming activities.

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