Orientation: Plateau corps members, staff screened, tested for COVID-19 before entering camp

The supervising consultant to the Plateau NYSC camp clinic says his team is screening and testing corps members and staff of the scheme to ensure that those infected with COVID-19 do not enter the camp.

The supervising consultant to the clinic, Dr Daniel Menshak, disclosed this to our reporter on Tuesday in Mangu, venue of the ongoing NYSC Orientation camp.

Menshak, a consultant Family Physician, said that the health team attached to the camp was screening them right from the gate and instructing them to wait for the result of the test before they could be allowed into the camp, if found negative.

“We are working to ensure that no one with COVID-19 gets into the camp and we start by screening people right from the gate, when they come in, there are health officials stationed outside the gate who test the individuals and ask them to wait for the result,” he said.

According to the supervising consultant, if the individual screened and tested is found negative, he would be allowed into the camp, but that if the person tests positive he would be taken to the state Isolation Centre in Jos for a confirmatory test.

He said that those who tested negative after the confirmatory test would be allowed to return to the camp, while those who tested positive to the virus would commence treatment.

He disclosed that there was strict compliance with the COVID-19 safety protocols at the camp.

Menshak said no corps member was allowed to move around the camp without wearing a face mask, and that various hand washing points had been provided within the area.

He also said that the camp’s hostels had been spaced to ensure physical distancing.

He said the measures put in place were quite adequate to protect the corps members and the staff working on the camp to ensure that they did not have any issues relating to the virus.