By Chantalé Fletcher
THE Ministry of Education has its own medical team to assist in matters pertaining to Covid-19 in schools.
This according to Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh in answer to an Urgent Question by Caroni East MP Dr Rishad Seecheran in the House of Representatives on Friday.
Dr Seecheran asked Deyalsingh if the ministry had plans to distribute rapid antigen tests to students to assist in monitoring possible Covid-19 cases.
Deyalsingh said, “The Ministry of Education has their own medical team to assist the ministry with matters pertaining to Covid. Under the rubric, the Ministry of Health provides all guidance and we will continue to have these meetings on the same subject as we have been having at a technical level over the past two months.”
The minister said that he was advised by the Minister of Education that she would make the appropriate announcements on the matter raised in the shortest possible time.
However, when Dr Seecheran asked how the Ministry of Health would treat a child in the school system who may be asymptomatic without further testing.
Deyalsingh responded, “These were matters for the Ministry of Education and we will provide all the necessary technical guidance.
“If anyone has to be hospitalised for Covid, child or adult, there are already existing protocols and standards to achieve those outcomes.”
Meanwhile, when MP for Mayaro Rushton Paray asked whether conversations occurred between the Ministries of Health and Education for a planned increase of an outbreak at the primary school levels in the height of the Omnicron community spread.
However, Speaker of the House, Bridgid Annisette-George disallowed his question as a supplemental question in regards to the original question that was asked and its response.
