Students given all clear to wear long sleeved shirts and long pants to school

Students in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) who wish to further protect themselves from being bitten by mosquitoes have been given the green light to wear to school long sleeved shirts and long pants.

Minister of Education St Clair “Jimmy” Prince told SEARCHLIGHT yesterday that the recommendation had been made by Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Simone Keizer-Beache and the Ministry of Education has accepted it.

He said meetings have already been held with the various managers of the nation’s learning institutions and students may now wear appropriate protective attire. Prince however stressed that this not mandatory, but only a suggestion.

The education minister also noted that his ministry is onboard with any suggestion that will help to decrease and stop the spread of dengue fever, the mosquito born viral illness that has already, for 2020, claimed the lives of two Vincentians and infected over 374 persons here.

The St Vincent Grammar School (SVGS) on Thursday issued a bulletin granting permission to their first and second form students to wear long blue or black jeans and a white shirt or t-shirt to school every day until further notice.

Students in third, fourth and fifth form may wear white shirts with long sleeves if they so desire.

On Tuesday at a press briefing at Cabinet Room, the CMO said the ministry of health had written to the ministry of education recommending that they consider allowing students to wear long pants and long sleeves so that they would decrease their exposure to mosquito bites.

“…because if you have light colors, long sleeves, long pants, the mosquitoes can’t bite you as easily so this is something that we are asking,” said the CMO who is also encouraging the use of insect repellants.

“I know there are some schools already where that is allowed,” Keizer-Beache told the press conference while adding that everyone has to play their part in the dengue fight not just the ministry of health.

“We are talking about clearing the bush around your homes, clearing the bush around where you work. We all have a responsibility,” Keizer-Beache noted while adding that mosquito nets are also very useful.