Education ministry tells staff and educators to stay home if they visited infected areas
The Ministry for Education and the Ministry for Health have jointly published a circular sent to all state, church and independent schools.
The circular reads that anyone (staff or learners) who has visited China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Iran, Italy (Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto) recently must stay at home for 14 days and, if they develop symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath, “they need to phone the Disease Prevention and Control Unit (IDCU) within the Superintendence of Public Health, Ministry for Health on 2132 4086 and the unit will guide them accordingly.”
Employees that have travelled to these countries are requested to advise their line manager regarding the need to stay at home for the number of days stipulated. Employees will be considered as excused on presentation of travel evidence on their return to work.
Separately, the University of Malta’s rector has set up an Emergency Situation Team to offer advice on the coronavirus, and has told students returning from affected countries to self-quarantine for 14 days.
The education ministry is working hand in hand with the health ministry and international organisations such as the World Health Organisation to implement measures dedicated to making sure the coronavirus remains away from the country, Education Minister Owen Bonnici told the press.
Asked what precautions were being taken to ensure that children in schools were safe from the virus, Bonnici said that there were no cases of coronavirus registered in Malta and that the country is in containment phase – meaning that measures are being put in place so that the virus does not come into Malta.
Asked about the presence of basic items such as hand sanitisers in schools, Bonnici said that the ministry is following all the advice provided by local and foreign entities.
He said that it is naturally a time of concern and worry for teachers, parents, and students, but appealed for cooperation with the authorities to make sure that all measures are followed.
He said that teachers are showing concern about the current goings on, but again reaffirmed that the important thing is that the public remains informed and safeguarded.