Starting January 9, Nurses to Conduct Temperature Checks at School Entrances: Minister

Starting January 9, nurses will conduct temperature checks at school entrances. This information was announced by the Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan during a press briefing following a government session.

On January 4, representatives of the Ministry of Health indicated that there has been an increase in cases of influenza and acute respiratory infections in Armenia, particularly among children. It is anticipated that the number of illness cases will rise when schools reopen on January 9.

“At this moment, we are preparing for the reopening of schools in collaboration with our partners from the Ministry of Education. There will be clear filters, and nurses at the school entrances will conduct health checks and temperature screenings to ensure that sick children do not attend school,” stated Avanesyan.

According to the Minister, after the reopening of schools, they will monitor student attendance. If they observe that many children are not attending school, further actions will be organized based on the situation.

According to data from the Ministry of Health, as of January 3, there are 584 patients hospitalized in Armenian medical wards, 96 percent of whom are children. Among the 209 patients hospitalized with pneumonia, 127 are also children. Additionally, 47 children are currently in intensive care units. Armenia has recorded 2 fatalities linked to the H1N1 subtype of the influenza A virus (swine flu).