The Virgin Islands Department of Education (VIDE) is currently undertaking the following preventative measures to ensure the safety of students and employees during the COVID-19 global health emergency:
- School nurses are keeping track of all students who exhibit cold or flu symptoms and fevers. Nurses have been instructed to fill out a ‘Notification of Infectious Disease’ form for students exhibiting symptoms and submit the form to the V.I. Department of Health.
- School principals have been instructed to report the number of sick students to the district superintendent at the end of each school day.
- Schools have been instructed to immediately inform parents of a child’s symptoms and advise them that the child be picked up from school, be seen by a pediatrician and remain at home until medically cleared to return to school.
Education is in communication with its online educational partners to find ways to increase existing online learning options for students in the event schools may have to close.
The Department of Education has delivered pallets of hand sanitizers to both districts and is currently in the process of distributing them to schools.
For more information on the Government of the Virgin Islands’ response to COVID-19, visit www.doh.vi.gov/covid19usvi or text “COVID19USVI” to 888777 to receive updates and alerts directly to your phone.
The Department of Education will continue to issue regular updates and tips for students, parents and employees (with guidance from Health) through mass emails, all of the department’s social media platforms and its online newsletter.
