[/QUOTE]
The Ministry of Health gives a response to the OELMEK that calls for the suspension of the Test to Stay measure, pointing to it as responsible for the increase in chains of cases in schools.
"The implementation of the Test to Stay measure has allowed thousands of children to physically attend their classes. This measure has been embraced by thousands of students and parents from the first day of implementation. In particular, yesterday, February 7, 2022, 7080 students who should have been in detention prior to the implementation of the measure, opted to use it and attended their schools. Of the 7080 students, 120 positive cases were identified in primary and secondary schools," a statement said.[BR]
[/P]The statement expresses the question of how the data relied on by the OELMEK are derived. "After the implementation of the measure, large chains of cases began to appear in school units that did not exist in the last period before its implementation, while operational and organisational problems remain (e.g. shortage of staff in the workshops, non-attendance of the workshops), resulting in great inconvenience to the schools," the teachers' organisation said in yesterday's statement.
- OELMEK calls for the suspension of the "test to stay". After implementation... large chains of cases
"It is surprising, from what data the conclusion is drawn that there is an increase in cases and chains of transmission in schools. According to Ministry of Health data, the daily positivity rate ranges from 2.5% to 3.6% for the total population tested on the dates 29 January - 4 February 2022. The positivity rate from contact tracing was at 9%, while the positivity rate in schools through the "test to stay" measure was between 1% 1.69%.
It would therefore be much more beneficial and constructive, before issuing a statement, for the OELMEK to contact the Ministry of Health to obtain the correct information regarding the epidemiological picture recorded in schools, in order to avoid creating false impressions. It should be made clear that the increase in positive cases is a function of the number of tests carried out each day, as is also reflected in the Ministry of Health's daily announcements concerning the results of laboratory tests in relation to the pandemic.
The continuous effort of the Ministry of Health to better serve students and parents can be seen in the significant increase in the number of sampling points daily and with the inclusion of chemists and laboratories in the 'test to stay' measure.
In meetings held in recent days by the Ministry of Health, the recommendations of teachers and organized parents were recorded, most of which have been adopted. It is recalled that the door of the Ministry of Health is always open to any body, organisation or citizen who needs any clarifications. In conclusion, the Ministry of Health reiterates that with the cooperation and goodwill of all parties involved, the successful implementation of the "test to stay" measure will continue to ensure that schools remain safe and in continuous operation," the statement concludes.
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
