Times Of Swaziland: COVID-19+ TEACHER NOT CLEARED, BACK AT WORK

COVID-19+ TEACHER NOT CLEARED, BACK AT WORK
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Melisa Msweli and Joseph Zulu on 31/07/2020 10:02:00


PIGG’S PEAK – A teacher who tested positive for COVID-19 at Ekudvwaleni High
School is reporting for work despite that she has not been declared negative and
is taking medication.
Under normal circumstances, a patient is supposed to be certified negative
before they can return and mingle with others. This, however, is not the case
for the teacher based at Ekudvwaleni High School. The teacher confirmed that she
was back at school and that she had been away for the recommended 10 days. She
said she had been taking medication and that she was feeling much better though
she had not received negative results as yet. “I have not yet been tested
again but I have to be back at school,” she said. The teacher also said though
she believed she had recovered, she ran out of medication and was advised to go
to the hospital and collect more. She reiterated that she was feeling better,
but was not sure whether she was positive or negative as she had not been
re-tested. She also said she was not sure whether she was still infectious.
Tested
Noteworthy is that another teacher also tested positive at the same school. The
male teacher had been at the school until Tuesday, but was informed in the
evening that he had tested positive for the virus. He returned to school on
Monday after being in quarantine while waiting for his results. The teacher,
whose name will not be mentioned for ethical reasons, confirmed that he received
results on Tuesday and that he would have to spend 10 more days at home.
Isolation
He said he was already in isolation after he had taken the test. “I am much
better than I was before,” he said. The teacher also clarified that he did not
interact with pupils because he did not teach Form Vs. He, however, said he had
been interacting with another teacher, who also tested positive. “We even used
to share oranges and exchange money so when she tested positive, I also went to
check,” said the teacher.  He also revealed that the results took so long that
the 10-day isolation period lapsed. This news instilled fear in other teachers
who said they did not believe the teacher could have recovered so soon. Speaking
on condition of anonymity, a male teacher questioned if the return of the
teacher was based on the recently released recommendations.