WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT VACCINATION PROVISION FOR SCHOOL STAFF AND STUDENTS OVER 16

The COVID-19 vaccine reduces the chance of being infected with COVID-19 virus and its spread. When many individuals are vaccinated, COVID-19 virus is less likely to spread in the community.

The current available COVID-19 vaccines in the UAE are:

• mRNA COVID-19 (BNT162b2) COVID-19 Vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech).
• ChAdOx1 nCoV- 19 (Recombinant) COVID-19 Vaccine (AstraZeneca).
• Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 (BBIBP-CorV) COVID-19 Vaccine (Sinopharm).
• Gam-COVID-Vac Vaccine (Sputnik).
• The vaccine is free to Dubai residents.

Children aged 3-17 years can get the vaccine at any of the SEHA centers without the need for an appointment, for a full list of centers please visit:

Covid-19 Vaccinations

Pfizer- BioNTech vaccine can be given for children aged 5 years and above, Sinopharm vaccine can be given for children aged 3 years and above.

WHAT DO I DO IF MY CHILD TESTS POSITIVE TO COVID?

Please refer to the Staying At Home If Unwell Policy located on the JESS website and follow the instructions provided. If this occurs outside of school, please contact the Health Office to advise that your child has tested positive to COVID (Jumeirah or Ranches) and complete the ‘Return to School (High Risk)’ form. Please also refer to the JESS Covid-19 Medical Policy located on the JESS website.

WHAT DO I DO IF SOMEONE IN OUR FAMILY TESTS POSITIVE TO COVID?

Please contact the school Health Office to advise that someone in your family has tested positive to COVID (Jumeirah or Ranches). Your child/ren will be considered a Close Contact in this event, so refer to Q & A below.

WHAT HAPPENS IF MY CHILD IS A CLOSE CONTACT?

Close Contacts are not required to quarantine or PCR test and can continue attending school. A Close Contact should monitor for Covid symptoms for 5 days after the date of contact with a Positive Covid case. If students/staff are identified as a Close Contact within JESS, they will receive a Notification from school advising of the dates to monitor for symptoms. If a Close Contact develops symptoms, they should PCR test immediately. Please note that lateral flow tests cannot be accepted.

If this case occurs outside of school, please contact the school Health Office to advise that your child is a Close Contact (Jumeirah or Ranches) and complete the ‘Return to School (High Risk)’ form. Please also refer to the JESS Covid-19 Medical Policy located on the JESS website.

WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMEONE IN OUR FAMILY IS A CLOSE CONTACT?

If a family member is a Close Contact, students are not required to quarantine and can continue attending school.

IF ANY OF THE QUESTIONS ABOVE ARE APPLICABLE, WHAT DO I NEED TO DO FOR MY CHILD TO RETURN TO SCHOOL?

If the student is either a Positive COVID case or a Close Contact you must complete the ‘Return to School (High Risk)’ form two days prior to returning to school and also meet with the Health Office to be assessed. The student will not be permitted access to school unless the Form is completed and the Health Office assessment occurs.

WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO IF WE TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF THE UAE?

There is no need to provide a negative PCR test if you have travelled. However, any student with COVID-19 symptoms, who has travelled 14 days prior to symptom onset, will need to remain at home until symptoms have resolved and produce a negative PCR valid for 48hrs, before returning to school.

WHAT HEALTH & SAFETY PROCEDURES ARE IN PLACE TO PROTECT MY CHILD AT SCHOOL?

Please refer to the JESS Covid-19 Return to School Policy, the Covid-19 Medical Policy and watch our Health and Safety videos which are located on the JESS website. with your child. These videos will show you the procedures we are adopting for entering and exiting the school, how classrooms look and what happens if your child is feeling ill at school.

DOES MY CHILD STILL NEED TO WEAR A MASK TO SCHOOL?

No, as from 28th September, masks are no longer required inside or outside at school.

IS THE CAFETERIA OPEN FOR SECONDARY STUDENTS TO BUY LUNCH?

The school cafeteria is now open as per normal and continues to operate online lunch orders.

WHAT ABOUT SPORT AT JESS?

Schools must follow the Dubai Sports Council Guidelines for all sports related activities and group sports will be adapted to minimize contact and risk.