THE health practices at almost a half of the 575 schools in Kingston and St Andrew have been found to be unsatisfactory as they do not meet the criteria set by the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

The Kingston and St Andrew Health Department, in a report to the Disaster Preparedness and Public Health Committee of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC), stated that public health inspectors had found the health practices at 323 schools in Kingston and St Andrew to be satisfactory and the other 252 unsatisfactory.

And in response to questions from the Jamaica Observer, the health department listed inadequate sanitary conveniences, and the inability of the schools to do temperature checks as two of the reasons that the public health practices at the schools have been found to be unsatisfactory.

“The stay-at-home policy [for sick individuals] and the regulatory provisions in place for social distancing of six feet and designated isolation of facilities were also lacking,” the Public Health Department stated.

“We have instructed the schools found unsatisfactory to have the critical areas addressed,” it said.

The public health department, however, said that the list of schools found to be unsatisfactory could not be disclosed to the public.

Asked by the Observer if public health inspectors have been monitoring the schools to see if the problems were being addressed, the department said that the agreement was for the schools to fix the problems and then request a reinspection.

According to the South East Regional Health Authority, the criteria for the Ministry of Health and Wellness checklist include:

* Sanitary and hygiene practices.

* Physical distancing and COVID-19 risk reduction methods.

* Proper handling of sick persons.

* Use of personal protective equipment and proper disposal of such items.