Pavluts urges parents not to take children with respiratory symptoms to school

RIGA - If a child has symptoms of a respiratory illness, then it is good practice to see a family doctor to take the Covid-19 test and not to take the child to school, but to treat him or her at home, Minister of Health Daniels Pavluts (For Development) said after a coalition meeting last night.

The Minister referred to the data of the Center for Disease Prevention and Control that in 60 percent of cases when school students have tested positive for Covid-19, the children have already experienced some symptoms of respiratory illness.

Pavluts said that in case of such symptoms, avoiding taking the child to school is important to reduce the risk of spreading not only Covid-19, but also other respiratory illnesses.

The Minister noted that it is planned to use ''chewing sticks'' more widely in the testing of pupils, as well as to initially test the whole class as a single unit, which will allow to perform the testing process at a lower cost.