As students in Qatar return to school for the new academic year, a senior public health official has reassured parents that all necessary precautionary measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their children have been taken.

“For example, the 50 percent attendance assures us that there will be no crowding in the classes,” Dr Soha Al-Bayat, Head of Vaccination Department at the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and the Leader of the COVID-19 Tracing and Detection Team said in a video message posted on the Ministry’s Twitter page.

She added that all classes have been set up to have a minimum space of 1.5 meters between each student.

“I would like to inform parents that up till now more than 55 percent of the age group 12-15 have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine,” Dr Al-Bayat said, adding that while this is a good percentage, “we need more.”

She once again called on parents of unvaccinated children to get their children (aged 12 and above) vaccinated against COVID-19.

Earlier today, MoPH reiterated five reasons why parents should get their children (12 years and above) vaccinated.

Implementation of precautions measures in schools to ensure the safe return of students

Dr. Soha Al-Bayat
Head of Vaccination Department at
MoPH and Leader of the COVID-19
Tracing and Detection Team#Backtoachool @Qatar_Edu pic.twitter.com/8HOC5tnX9v

— وزارة الصحة العامة (@MOPHQatar) August 30, 2021

In another video message regarding the implementation of COVID-19 measures in schools, Dr Layla Al Dahnaim, community medicine consultant and the manager of School Health confirmed that several protocols for students’ safety are in place.

“The School Health Department has launched the ‘Back to School Campaign’ in every public school under the theme ‘A safe return to school challenging COVID-19,’ she said.

“We will highlight the most common communicable and infectious diseases among students and how to combat and prevent them, including COVID-19, chickenpox, influenza, lice, infection of the hands, feet, mouth and scabies,” Dr Al Dahnaim added.

Several activities and educational lectures will be held to enhance the health awareness of students about the most common diseases.

“This includes how to follow the most important ways of disease prevention in their environment whether at home, school or public places by preparing flyers, educational messages, coloring books and informative posters,” she mentioned.

“We would like to emphasize the role of parents in preparing their children to return to school. They must ensure an early bedtime, maintain a healthy diet and educate children about preventive measures. They should visit the health centers if the children feel sick,” Dr Al Dahnaim stressed.

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Source: MoPH