The return to classes at Colégio Tamandaré, in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Southwest Zone of Rio de Janeiro, was marked by fear and uncertainty. The episode occurred two days after a student used a lancet — a medical device with an ultra-fine needle for superficial skin puncture — to collect blood from colleagues during a science fair. The same lancet was used on up to three people, which raised concerns about possible contamination risks.
Around 12:30 pm, at the school dismissal, parents and students reported the presence of Civil Police agents, Health Surveillance agents, and representatives from the Municipal Health Department inside the school. The teams went through classrooms to talk with some classes and guide students about the episode.
The school advised that students who underwent the procedure during the cultural fair should seek a hospital for examinations. Even with the guidance, many children left the school frightened, asking their parents if what happened constituted an outbreak.
