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Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt has opposed calls on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to shut down schools due to the coronavirus impact.

According to Deputy Health Minister, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, 161 students, teachers and non-staff of some Senior and Junior High Schools have been infected by coronavirus in the country.

The infections were detected following the President's directive that schools should reopen after he eased restrictions on public gathering.

As part of measures to safeguard the students, the government disinfected the schools and also distributed items such as thermometer guns, Veronica buckets, PPEs among others to the schools.

However, there is a public outcry for the President to close the schools because some students contracted the disease.

The opposition National Democratic Congress says the President is insensitive and some critics have even made wild allegations against him for not heeding their calls.

Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Kwesi Pratt stressed it will be dangerous for the country for the students to go back home.

To him, before the schools can be closed, the government must first undertake precautionary measures to ensure the students are not going to infect their families.

He stated, in the event of closing the schools, there should be mass testing for all students before they are allowed back home.

"You have to test everybody on campus. After testing them, they have to go into two weeks quarantine and after the two weeks quarantine, we test them again. That is the only way we can get minimum assurance that they don't send the disease back home," he said.