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The contact tracing component of the management of Covid-19 in Antigua and Barbuda will remain unchanged, particularly in schools, despite the gradual increase in vaccinations.
Before the Pfizer vaccine was acquired and used to inoculate hundreds of school children, the protocols that applied in schools were quite simple – if someone tested positive, they were immediately isolated and contact tracing was carried out. performed to determine recent close contacts of this person.
These close contacts were also quarantined for a mandatory period, to ensure they could not pose a risk to others if they had, in fact, also contracted the virus.
With vaccinations now a requirement for the return of face-to-face learning in all schools, it has been debated whether the greater protection they offer could mean a relaxation of contact tracing protocols, to limit disruptions that have been quite frequent within the education sector for several months.
However, according to Chief Medical Officer Dr. Rhonda Sealy-Thomas, these protocols will remain in place despite the prevalence of vaccines.
“Yes, vaccinations help control Covid-19, but other public health measures don’t change much with vaccinations.
“So yes, in the school situation or any situation where you have people who are vaccinated, once someone is identified as a contact, contact tracing will begin and people will be quarantined,” she said. declared.
Speaking alongside the CMO, pathologist Dr Lester Simon, stressed the importance of a proper system to isolate people with even remote symptoms of Covid-19 in schools.
Considering the importance of safety in schools during this period, he suggested that some resources – particularly through interrupted services – be reallocated in this regard.
“As we are not going to be using personnel with all of these tests at the end of the quarantine, we can redeploy our forces to use them where they are most needed,” Dr Simon said.
The CMO explained that the protocols for the schools have been decided and enforced alongside the Ministry of Education since schools reopened last year.
She added that they have proven to be very effective, especially with some logistical support from schools.
“If it was a teacher, a cleaner or a student who had symptoms on the compound, we actually visited the schools and had them identify areas where that person could be isolated and contact tracing would have started immediately. .
“In the classrooms, children would have been physically distanced from each other and teachers kept good records to know on a particular day who was at school. Some schools actually had cameras, so we could go back and look at the footage – especially for preschools – to see which child had been in contact with [others].
“[That] was really amazing for us and helped us with contact tracing and follow up on children who may have been in contact with the [infected person].”
Secondary schools have been allowed to reopen since this week, once all students and staff are vaccinated against Covid-19.
Amid the current spike in cases, however, primary schools have remained closed for the time being, with the level of infections in the near future to be taken into account before being given the green light.
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