The Education ministry had decided to reopen schools in different phases. In the first phase, grades nine, ten, colleges, universities have welcomed students back. However, secondary and primary classes will resume later in this month.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a tweet, “It was our priority and collective responsibility to ensure that every child can go to school safely to learn”.

The National Command Operation Center (NCOC) issued instructions telling parents to ensure their children follow SOPs, which includes wearing masks. The Center also ordered that children should not go to school if they are having symptoms including cough and fever.

In that case, parents should have the child tested. If they any test positive for Covid-19, they are asked to inform the educational institution.

Usage of sanitizer and ensuring social distancing is also advised by NCOC.

Education Minister ‘Shafqat Mehmood’ said parents, teachers, and administrations have to play an active role in upholding all safety measures.

Unfortunately, after the gradual reopening schools, it has been reported that 22 educational institutions have been closed across the country.  These schools reportedly failed to follow SOPs as required by the NCOC.

The agency said that it had to close the schools that were not in compliance in order to curb the spread of Covid-19.

16 of these educational institutions are in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 1 in Islamabad, and 5 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

It is unclear as to when, or if, these schools will be allowed to re-open.

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Analysis of the groupings found 168 cases of COVID-19 have been associated with the clusters – nine of which have had five or more cases with them.

In the past seven days, five clusters have been identified. Within these, 35 cases of coronavirus were confirmed, with 239 close contacts.

The study was undertaken using the country’s new contact tracing app, between the period that the polit ended and the full test and trace system.

The tracing app ‘STOP NI’ has over 170,000 downloads since it went live last week and is the first in the world to share date between borders.

Dr Gerry Waldron, Head of Health Protection at the PHA, said the analysis showed that the clusters are both associated with the workplace and the community.

He said: “Clusters are managed through the contact tracing programme, and where we need to advise or inform the public of any increased risk to public health we will do so in a timely manner.

 “Our analysis of clusters to date has shown that they have been associated with both workplaces and in the community, such as domestic gatherings and in hospitality and sporting settings.

“Clusters are managed through the contact tracing programme, and where we need to advise or inform the public of any increased risk to public health we will do so in a timely manner. “Maintain social distancing, wash your hands regularly, and get tested if you display any symptoms of coronavirus.”

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All prior confirmed US cases had been linked with visits to Wuhan, China, where the virus originated in December 2019. However, this latest patient from Illinois had not been to Wuhan but lived with a 2019-nCov patient diagnosed earlier. They were located through contact tracing and both patients are now in stable condition.

This is a wake-up call for the CDC, who now realize the grave danger this virus could pose to citizens. As a way to curtail further spread, they have been working closely with local and state partners to locate close contacts of confirmed 2019-nCov patients.

As CDC Director, Robert R. Redfield, M.D, commented, “Given what we’ve seen in China and other countries with the novel coronavirus, CDC experts have expected some person-to-person spread in the US. We understand this may be concerning, but based on what we know now, we still believe the immediate risk to the American public is low”.

In other countries, imported cases of 2019-nCov from infected travelers have been observed to spread to close contacts. However, it is still uncertain how person-to-person spread will unfold in the coming weeks.

Two other types of coronavirus – MERS, and SARS – can cause person-to-person spread. However, only those in close contact, like health workers or family members of an infected person are at greatest risk. That is why the CDC has been putting proactive measures in place to manage the spread of this virus.

On January 8, they alerted clinicians to report patients with respiratory illness and recent travel to Wuhan. Moreover, CDC has helped clinicians develop guidance for the testing and management of the virus, as well as procedures for the hospitalization of infected patients.

Since this first case was identified, CDC has been collaborating with local partners and Illinois health officers to investigate the extent of the spread.

As we progress into the coming weeks, new cases will likely arise, including person-to-person spread. The best approach to avoid contracting the virus is to prevent exposure. That is why CDC will keep informing the public on ways to remain safe.

Since the spread of 2019-nCov is still very limited in the US, CDC deems it as low risk to the general public. However, the risk of infection significantly skyrockets for people in close contact with infected patients. These people should follow CDC’s guideline that outlines the precautions to prevent the spread among families and local communities. However, other members of the public have little to fear at the moment, and only simply daily precautions are suggested.

CDC suggests getting vaccinated since we are in flu season and also practicing proper hygiene to prevent transferring germs. Most importantly, CDC recommends the cancellation of all non-essential trips to China.

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