Bolivia: Measles Outbreak Prompts Early Winter Vacation and Virtual Classes in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, Bolivia – Amidst a measles outbreak, the Ministry of Education has implemented a series of preventative measures, including the advancement of winter vacations and a shift to virtual classes in affected areas. Eudal Tejerina, the Vice Minister of Education, confirmed these decisions in an interview, stating that the primary objective is to safeguard the health of students and prevent further contagion. According to Vice Minister Tejerina, the Ministry held an emergency meeting on Tuesday to address the growing health concerns. He emphasized that the decision to transition to distance learning and advance the winter break by one week is a general measure, applying to all educational units in departments identified with measles cases, specifically Santa Cruz, La Paz, and Potosí. "We are in a sanitary emergency, which means taking immediate measures that align with the prevention of health and life of our students," Tejerina stated. He clarified that while some educational units initially continued normal classes due to lack of confirmed cases within their specific premises or delayed information, the directive is a blanket measure for prevention. "The measure is general. It's about preventing. We shouldn't wait for a case in an educational unit to suspend it," he added, highlighting the incubation period of the virus. The Vice Minister acknowledged that the directive was issued late on Tuesday, leading to some initial confusion and challenges in coordination with parents and school administrators. However, he expects full compliance moving forward. The duration of the advanced winter vacation for Santa Cruz will be the standard two weeks (ten days), but the situation will be continuously evaluated to determine if further extensions are necessary based on the evolving epidemiological panorama.