COVID-19: Bayelsa schools ready, safe to re-open – Diri

Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa on Tuesday announced that the state had put in place measures to check the spread of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) among students in exit classes billed to resume on Wednesday.

Diri gave the assurance at the ‘Safe School Reopening Train-the-Trainer’ programme in Yenagoa.

He said that the government had provided 10,000 face masks, temperature scanners, soap and water for all public and private schools in Bayelsa.

The governor inaugurated a 10-member Safe Schools Reopening Committee headed by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Peter Akpe, to monitor implementation of the safety protocols across the state.

Diri urged the committee to ensure compliance with the safety protocols to curb infection.

He noted that Bayelsa had 339 COVID-19 cases at the moment.

Diri also noted that Rivers had 1,842 cases and Delta 1,520, saying that Bayelsa was listed the 23rd out of 36 states in infection rate.

He attributed the low infection rate in the state to strict enforcement of the COVID-19 protocols and the commitment of healthcare professionals.

“Our commitment to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, which has ravaged the entire globe, is total.

“Out of the responsibility for the health of our dear children, we decided to close schools on March 26 even before we recorded the index case in Bayless, on April 27, 2020.

“I commend the efforts of our healthcare professionals who I describe as generals in the battlefield.

“With the steps we have taken, teachers have joined in the frontlines of the battle against the pandemic.

“We seek the cooperation of parents, teachers and other stakeholders to prevent teacher-to-student transmission of the virus and vice versa,” Diri said.

In his remarks, Dr Nathaniel Apoku, Co-Chairman of Bayelsa COVID-19 Task Force, said that 90 per cent of the 339 positive cases out of 5,000 people screened for the virus had been discharged.

“We have so far tested 5,000, we have only 24 active cases under our care.

“Our isolation centres are virtually empty, this is due to the commitment, dexterity and funding support by the government.

“We have always been meticulous in the implementation of World Health Organisation (WHO) and NCDC protocols,” Apoku said.

It was reported that other members of the Safe Schools Reopening Committee include Mr Freston Akpor, Permanent Secretary, Bayelsa Ministry of Information, and Mr Walter Liverpool, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education.