Will you implement mandatory temperature testing / reporting for students to access the school?

[Kevin Lloyd]

Some schools are mandating temperature testing at the school’s access point or having parents provide a daily submission of their children’s temperature. 

How would this be done?

Will you provide proper training and personal protective equipment if you mandate that temperatures are taken at the entrance?

What labour laws exist related to this work?

What does this mean for privacy laws or GDPR if the parents are submitting daily temperature? Schools must adhere to governmental regulations. (for example, health record protection or disability laws may apply when submitting temperatures). 

[Mike Johnson]

With so many of those who have tested positive to COVID-19 despite having no symptoms, is temperature testing a false sense of security?  Would self-declarations of health and no exposure be just as useful? What are some other ways schools are looking to for health screening? 

[kerry.nockolds]

We have, since February, used temperature checks on access points to the school, we limited access to students and staff only with parents denied access to the campus. Drop off is made outside the school entrance and staff facilitate the delivery of the younger students to their classrooms. Pick up is now also outside the school entrance with pick up zones allocated for different classes and staggered pick up times for younger and older students. Teachers take their children to the outside pick up zones and the parents meet them there. We have effectively tried to reduce footfall with the campus to children and staff only. Since April, the school is on 'Mask all day' in campus (as social distancing is difficult with children in a classroom).

The school has supplemented these measures with self-health declarations forms - being sent out following any major vacation and when the government in Taiwan advises another dangerous spread situation has occurred on the island. In addition, the school has now had digital learning closures follow 3 separate government advise warnings of potential new contamination concern on the island. The school has taken 5 weeks of digital learning since February, we have reopened the campus only when the threat has subsided. Presently we are back in campus.

[Mike Johnson]

Hi Kerry, thanks for your excellent feedback! With your temperature checks are you keeping records? If so how are you protecting that information (from a data protection standpoint)? What happens if someone registers a higher than acceptable temperature? Do you have an isolation area? 

[Kevin Lloyd]

Hi Kerry, Your comments are very interesting. 

Building on what Mike has asked, we have heard a lot of discussion around temperature checks so it will be interesting to learn about the benefits this brings and any recommendations for other schools considering something similar.

Your approach on footfall, restricting access, pickup and drop-offs is also of interest and you may also want to look at what Bradley Roberts has shared from the International School of Basel on their restrictions, risk matrix and voluntary disclosure form.  You will find this in the Building and Infrastructure Forum under Entrances.

[kerry.nockolds]

Hi Mike,  Kevin,

We have purchased a machine, like they are using at the airports, where the students are screened by a camera type machine whereby if they are over 37.5 they will be asked to step aside and arrangements will be made with parents for the child to be collected. We have an isolation room, separate form the medical office, specifically for children that record a temperature and need to be taken home. There are some schools here in Taiwan that have the isolation as a tent in an outside location, however we have set this up in the administrative building, not the teaching areas. For the Primary school we also do class by class temperature checks 2 times a day, conducted by a learning assistant. We record the classes visited and if any child has a temperature they will be isolated and parents informed to pick them up. 

If you take a look on our FB page we have posts showing all the measures we have introduced, as parents aren't able to come on campus we try to give them information through regular posts on FB. https://www.facebook.com/taipeieuropeanschool/

 

I will certainly take a look at the International School of Basel on their restrictions.

We are fortunate that in Taiwan the COVID19 has had limited grip, so we are able to be in school, but stringent efforts are implemented until such time as the situation around the world improves.

[Kevin Lloyd]

Hi Kerry, are you able to share any information on the machine you have purchased and what your experience is with it?