Should parents prepare for school closure amid third wave?

School closures are taking place nationally as Covid-19 cases increase, starting with an average of 1 217 cases over seven days in April. Now, the country’s seven-day average is 3 105 cases.

Some of these cases are being experienced in schools, others schools opting to shut down due to reported cases.

School closures in the Free State are taking place at a faster rate, one school reporting Covid-19 cases of 32 pupils. According to TimesLive, Reutlwahetse High School in Excelsior closed its doors after a teacher and 32 pupils tested positive for Covid-19.

More Free State schools are closing their doors, the latest being Eunice High School in Bloemfontein.

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According to the SABC, the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) is calling for the shutdown of schools amid the third wave. Their plea is based on reports from pupils that schools are not following sanitisation protocols, while others keep positive Covid-19 cases a secret from pupils and parents.

Echoing the same plight as Cosas is the Educators’ Union of South Africa, urged the education ministry to close schools.

Contact sports

In Gauteng, there have been reports of rising Covid-19 cases due to contact sports. On 19 May, the Council of Education Ministers suspended all contact sports in schools with immediate effect. Contact sports have contributed significantly to Covid-19 outbreaks in schools, thus the decision to halt these activities.

MEDIA STATEMENT: The Council of Education Ministers has taken a decision to suspend all contact sports in schools with immediate effect. @DBE_SA @ElijahMhlanga @ReginahMhaule @Lesufi @GautengProvince @Steve_Mabona pic.twitter.com/iiWPg5PV3Q

— Gauteng Department of Education (@EducationGP1) May 19, 2021

The department of basic education (DBE) is trying to ensure that they limit risky activities that act as spreader events. If these are not managed, cases will continue increasing, inevitably leading to a complete shutdown of schools nationally.

Third wave and stricter restriction

Gauteng premier David Makhura announced last week that the province is officially experiencing the third wave. Makhura, however, advises against stricter restrictions that will disrupt the economy of the province.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases’ (NICD) official 13 May statement said SA is not experiencing the third wave yet. The Free State is currently experiencing the third wave, exceeding a 30% increase of the previous wave’s peak.

In May 2020, the country was easing into level four of the lockdown, with schools slowly reopening.

NICD acting executive director Prof Adrian Puren says: “If members of the public rapidly implement meticulous social distancing and adhere to non-pharmaceutical measures, transmission will decline and the third wave will be delayed.”

The DBE is continuing to monitor the situation in schools and will release a gazette concerning Covid-19 and schooling.

The Citizen tried to reach out to the DBE’s spokesperson for comment but was not available.