Weather: Organisation gives safety tips to schools

Weather: Organisation gives safety tips to schools

The World Safety Organisation (WSO) has advised schools to keep classrooms and schools environment neat to prevent pupils from contracting airborne diseases as a result of current weather conditions.

The Deputy Director of WSO, Dr Okunola Olusola, told Newsmen on Friday in Lagos that hazy and dusty periods were usually dangerous times for children under the age of five.

Olusola, who is also a Paediatric Neurologist at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) said: “All viral infections that affect the respiratory system are common at this period and they spread farther and faster.

“This is also the season where certain parts of the country are prone to meningitis epidemic because of the harsh dry weather.

“Every disease that is usually plastered to the ground during the rainy season is floating in the air right now.

“So, classrooms where you have groups of children should be well ventilated and not overcrowded at this time.

“Children who already have cough and catarrh should be asked to stay at home and be taken care of before they are brought back to school; this will prevent others from being infected.’’

The paediatrician also advised parents and school authorities to keep children’s play to indoor activity to prevent them from inhaling dust when playing outside.

The safety expert urged parents to ensure regular cleaning of windows, fans, filters of the air condition; as well as curtains and blinds.

According to him, once the amount of dust in the home is reduced, the amount of dust a child inhales also reduces.

Olusola urged parents to ensure their children were adequately hydrated by going to school with enough drinking water.

According to him, intake of adequate water helps the body, especially the respiratory system, function well.

“Taking plenty of water will help the body’s natural defence to exhale dust as much as possible from the lungs.

“The mucus and catarrh that come out of a human a lot of times do not mean that the person is ill or has an infection.

“Sometimes the body is trying to push out the dust that has come into the lungs; and the more fluid in the system, the easier it is for the lungs to expunge unwanted particles,’’ Olusola said.

Source: NAN

Photo Credit: Google