Starting this Monday, February 9, all school campuses in the State of Mexico will implement daily health filters for the timely detection of measles and other respiratory diseases, as well as reinforce the use of masks, reported the State Health Secretariat. The measure is aimed at being implemented by state and municipal educational authorities, school administrators, and health personnel, due to the risk of transmission in school settings and based on national and international recommendations for early detection and mitigation. According to the official document, health filters must be installed at the entrance of each school and include non-contact temperature measurement and a rapid clinical observation. In case of detecting a fever greater than 38 degrees, red rashes, red eyes, cough, or white spots inside the mouth, the student must be isolated in a separate area and immediately notified to the corresponding health unit for evaluation. The State Health Secretariat also recommended reinforcing vaccination against measles, rubella, and mumps, according to the official scheme, and coordinating campaigns to recover vaccination coverage in girls, boys, adolescents, and adults up to 49 years old. Regarding prevention, it was indicated to reinforce the use of masks for school staff and students from the levels that allow it, especially in closed spaces where it is not possible to maintain physical distance, as well as their correct placement covering the nose and mouth. Schools must train designated personnel to identify symptoms, handle non-contact thermometers, and apply isolation and notification protocols. In addition, it was requested to inform mothers, fathers, and guardians about the measures and establish permanent communication with local health units. The protocol contemplates the daily registration of the health filter's activities and the detected cases, information that must be sent to the State's Epidemiology Directorate to activate intensified surveillance in campuses with suspected or confirmed cases. The document was signed by the state Secretary of Health, Macarena Montoya Olvera, who emphasized the importance of maintaining complementary measures such as adequate ventilation in classrooms, frequent hand washing, and respiratory hygiene.
