Subjecting students to COVID-19 test ahead of resumption unnecessary —PTF

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 said on Monday subjecting students to COVID-19 tests ahead of their resumption was unnecessary.

The National Coordinator of the PTF, Dr. Sani Aliyu, who disclosed this at the task force daily media briefing in Abuja, said it was more important to monitor the returning pupils for symptoms of the COVID-19 rather than making the test a requirement for their return to the classroom.

The Ogun State government had last week ordered the students in the state to undergo a compulsory COVID-19 test ahead of school resumption.

The government had since withdrawn the directive.

Aliyu said a negative COVID-19 test result is only valid for the moment it was conducted.

He urged school the management to instead watch out for symptoms of the virus among pupils and ask such pupils to seek medical attention.

READ ALSO: Ogun govt cancels COVID-19 test for returning students

The coordinator said: “Regarding the cost for students who are testing for COVID-19, our protocol is very clear. When it comes to indications for testing, it is important to realise that when you do a COVID-19 test, if you get a negative result, it is only valid for that period of time – for that point in time when you have taken it.

“The next day, you could have a positive result especially if you are in an incubation period. Therefore, the validity of a negative test is quite limited.

“It is far more important to monitor for symptoms, to check for temperature, to make sure students that have symptoms like cough or any other respiratory symptoms are told to stay back at home, and seek medical attention. It will be far more useful than doing the COVID-19 test before they resume.”

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