One of the country's most prominent young female doctors at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital has appealed to the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) to reopen schools 

Dr Mariam Jaw said in a Facebook post that people have to learn to live with COVID-19  because the virus might not go away anytime soon. 

"Schools need to reopen. Time to plan to live with COVID-19. It’s not going anytime soon. Let’s protect the future of our children." 

The young doctor further said: "Now it’s close to 9 months, so we should concentrate on protecting the elderly and the most vulnerable people and start the ‘new normal’." 

One of her colleagues, senior nurse Sarata Ngack Sowe, commented: ”Well stated, my sister. People need to adjust to living with COVID-19 as it is not going anytime soon. 

A source at the MoBSE disclosed to What's On-Gambia that no decision has been taken yet on a time frame for reopening of schools.