Dear AISM Community,
The number of active COVID infections has risen sharply in Maputo in the past week, along with hospitalizations and deaths. This is not a time for relaxing our vigilance or taking health for granted. In our phone calling campaign on Thursday and Friday, we learned of 30+ students who will be in quarantine this week as they recover, or as family members recover from the disease. One of our staff members is also in the hospital now, but is stable.
There is active transmission in Maputo, so please limit your exposure, and do not socialize or go out for non-essential reasons. Wear your masks faithfully, wash your hands and watch your distance when you are outside the home. In November and December, when we were learning on campus, there were no cases of transmission between students and teachers that we are aware of. Learning on campus in the coming weeks will be dependent on keeping our community safe and not allowing transmission to spread among teachers and students. Everyone has to do their part to make it work.
Based on President Nyusi’s message to the nation, our limited sports training activities before and after school will be curtailed now. We will continue to supervise recess and PE classes during the day, as we feel that these activities can be maintained safely, with masks, distancing and other measures our teachers are taking.
We are also looking closely at the heat and how to manage the hot and humid days when we’re on campus. Our classrooms have fans, and open windows and doors for increased ventilation. However that means that the heat index outside is the heat our students and teachers experience inside the classrooms. When the temperature is 35° and the humidity is high, the perceived temperature, or “heat index” can reach 50°C or more. In hot & humid weather our teachers will be closing windows and doors for 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off, to use the air conditioners to keep the classrooms cooler on these hot days.
These will be challenging weeks ahead of us. Our core values speak of fostering resilience and perseverance. Our community’s health and safety depends on everyone’s integrity and care for others (stewardship). There are better days coming, but we need to continue to follow best practices and work together in the meantime.
In solidarity,
Jim Laney Jr.,
School Director
Information for COVID-19 PCR testing and ‘at home’ services.
Online COVID-19 flowchart.
If your child is feeling sick you can also call our Health Office at +258–879755247.
Article on coronavirus mutations and why they’re important.
Our next Open Board Meeting will be at 6 PM on Thursday, January 28.