MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of the Commissioner of Education

20ᵗʰ October, 2020

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Re: COVID-19 Entry Screening Questions
The Department of Health has issued COVID-19 Guidance for School Settings. The Guidance sets out 
infection prevention and control measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Since  schools  opened  for  the  2020/2021  school  year,  students  have  participated  in  an  
entry screening  that  involved  having  their  temperature  taken  and  responding  to  four  
COVID-19 questions.

The Department of Education is revising the process for the entry screening and will continue to 
review this process.

Schools  will  continue  to  take temperatures  when  students  arrive  to  school;  however,  
effective Thursday, 22ⁿᵈ October, 2020, the process for asking the questions will be revised.

Instead  of  students  being  asked  the  questions  when  they  arrive  at  school,  you  are  
asked  to consider the four COVID-19 questions each day, before your child departs from the 
household and before you send your child to a public school. The questions are as follows:

1.   Do you or your child have symptoms of COVID-19 including Fever (equal or greater than 38 
      degrees Celsius or 100.4 Fahrenheit), Cough, Muscle aches and tiredness, Difficulty breathing, sore 
      throat, headache, diarrhea or vomiting, loss of smell and taste?
2.   Have you or your child been exposed to anyone with COVID-19?
3.   Does anyone in your household have symptoms of COVID-19 or has anyone in your household been 
      exposed to COVID-19?
4.   Has anyone in your family/household travelled/returned to Bermuda in the last 14 days?
      If  you  or  your  child  has  a “yes”  response  to  any  of  the  questions  above,  then  your  
      child should stay at home and not attend the school for 14 days from symptom onset and until he/she 
      is no longer feeling unwell. You must also contact the school to explain the reason for the 
      absence.

If  your  child  has  a  “yes”  response  to  question  #1,  meaning  that he  or  she  has  
symptoms of COVID-19, you should consult your child’s medical doctor or physician.

Additionally, if your child has a fever when his/her temperature is taken at the school, he/she 
will not be able to enter the school building.

The  safety  of  students,  staff,  parents  and  other  members  of  households  and  families  is 
paramount.

Parents and guardians are required to follow this process daily as persons are required to conduct 
themselves in such a manner as not to expose another person to infection.

Respectfully,

Mrs. Kalmar Richards Commissioner of Education