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Perhaps since it has been primarily perceived as a disease that affects older men, the Ministry of Education In Saudi Arabia has done little except proclaim that their schools are free of MERS, and that parents need not worry (see Director of Education Riyadh: Riyadh schools free from Corona).
While it is true that young people make up a small minority of symptomatic MERS cases, we are seeing an increasing number of pediatric cases reported of late, including the infection of a 16 year-old, and the death of a 9-month old, yesterday (cite).
Parents (and others) - worried and upset over the government’s initial slow response to this virus - have taken to twitter and other social media platforms demanding that schools either close or steps be taken to reduce the risks to their children.
Today, Arabic media is carrying reports indicating that the Ministry of Education is about to order schools to take specific steps to address the expanding MERS outbreak. Steps that include an isolation room, masks, gloves, and thermometers for every school.
This from Al Hasa Today.
Room "temporary detention" of suspects "Corona" school
April 28, 2014
Sources revealed that the plan of the Ministry of Education for the prevention of HIV Corona include the allocation of a room in each school to wait for conditions until transported to their homes or to the hospital by the patient's condition.
The room will provide the expected processed in about 34 thousand schools all means of prevention and their gloves and masks while providing high detection device for the patient's temperature to detect suspected cases, according to the "economic".
The plan to be implemented by the ministry for HIV prevention training sessions aimed at schools, to provide them with the necessary information about the disease and its symptoms and how it is transmitted and detection, reporting, and prevention in cooperation with the Ministry of Health.
The sources said that the ministry will allocate a central operations room to answer questions employees of schools, students and parents.
The number of school administrators in some areas and cities raised letters to the departments of education, so as to cancel the program lineup morning (queue), and the abolition of the establishment of the noon prayer in schools for poor ventilation and protect against HIV infection.
The following is a statement from the Saudi Minister of Education – posted yesterday on the MOE website – that states that an `action plan’ is being readied for schools in the Kingdom.
Faisal directs an action plan for the prevention and awareness of disease Coruna
HRH Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Minister of Education to work to take the necessary measures for the prevention of Corona virus in schools, and through the development of an action plan for the prevention of the disease in schools And put in place mechanisms to clear methodology implemented in coordination and integration with the Ministry of Health.
This came during a meeting today which was attended by His Excellency Acanutorhalld Sabti, Deputy Minister of Education, HE Sheikh Al Acanutorahmd Deputy Minister for the education of boys, and Acanutorslaman Monthly General Manager of School Health.
He also asserted the need to disseminate health education for employees of schools, students and the provision of supplies and the use of all available means, including social media, and work to improve the cleanliness and maintenance in schools and providing supplies to schools time and provide antiseptics and disinfectants in all schools, and equip school clinics Bmstelzmadtha medical office.
And accept the conferees state of health of students and teachers and the level of preventive measures of infectious diseases in schools, and discussed the measures taken to maintain the health of students and employees of schools, has also asserted the importance of coordination with the Ministry of Health as a ministry of the National Committee for Infectious Diseases Dr / Solomon Monthly, general manager of school health , everyone has contoured note that there are no cases of school and thankfully which bodes reassured on the health situation in schools at the moment
