Question NW2362 to the Minister of Health
29 October 2020 - NW2362
Hicklin, Ms MB to ask the Minister of Health
With regard to the Level 1 lockdown regulations to curb the spread of Covid-19, what are the reasons that day students travelling between Eswatini and the Republic are not required to undergo Covid-19 tests but weekly boarders do?
Reply:
Yes, daily students travelling from Eswatini are not required to produce COVID-19 test results as they are screened daily on arrival and departure through the point of entry by health officials to determine if they are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19. Weekly learners are taken through the same screening protocol at the border, however this is conducted once weekly on entry and departure. As the weekly learners do not travel daily, a health official is not in a position to detect whether or not they are symptomatic during their weekly stay. Should a student potentially become symptomatic during their weekly stay, this may result in further transmission as well as importation of COVID-19 as they would not have undergone the daily screening by a health official. It is important to also note that the Department of Basic Education has issued a directive that all schools conduct daily screening of learners so both day students and weekly boarders are screened.
END.