Health Ministry donates 5,000 COVID self-test kits to Education Ministry

The Ministry of Health and Wellness today donated 5,000 COVID-19 self-test kits to the Ministry of Education.

The donation came as Jamaica's children head back to the face-to face learning this month.

“It is far more debilitating on our children to keep them away from school than it is to get them back in. So while there is a risk, we are trying to manage that risk and that is what we aim to do by distributing these test kits,” said Portfolio Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton, while speaking at the handover.

Minister of Education Fayval Williams, while thanking the health ministry, noted that “the test kits are intended mainly for use in primary schools, where there are many younger children for whom vaccination against COVID-19 is not yet approved.”

Tufton pointed out that the health ministry has the full support of school nurses and it will provide a protocol to school administrators in the use of the test kits, with provisions in place for further assessments should that become necessary.

“These self-test kits represent one of the several protocols that will govern children going back to school and schools will continue to collaborate with the local health departments in the COVID-19 response, including additional testing and infection prevention and control measures,” added Tufton.

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