As COVID-19 cases are gradually rising in the State, 31 students from two private schools in Bengaluru tested positive, leading both the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the Education Department to spring into action.
As many as 21 students from New Standard English School and 10 students from MES School of BBMP Dasarahalli zone, Rajagopalanagar, tested positive following a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) conducted during a vaccination programme on June 9 by the BBMP.
State Health Commissioner Randeep D. said the schools have been directed to ensure that students mandatorily wear face masks and they are physically distanced in the class or while eating. “We have told them that all symptomatic students should not be allowed to attend classes. All the primary and secondary contacts of the infected children are being tested,” he said. The commissioner added that all are mildly symptomatic and home isolated.
BBMP Special Commissioner (Health) Dr. K.V. Trilok Chandra said as a precautionary measure, both the schools announced holidays for two to three days up to classes V and VI and the premises had been completely sanitised. All the students have been vaccinated.
But the incident led to panic among parents. Gayathri, the parent of a Class 6 student, told The Hindu, “My son is studying in class VI in a private school. COVID has consumed two years of our children’s education. Online classes were not convenient to the students and it led to a setback in the learning process. So, this academic year, we are very eager to send our children to school. But cases are rising again and we are scared. If the cases rise further, I don’t want to send my son to school.”
Department of Public Instruction Commissioner Vishal R. convened a meeting on Tuesday and discussed with Health and education department officials and private school managements about the COVID situation. He instructed officials and school managements to effectively implement the standard operating protocol (SOP) in all the schools to prevent COVID and asked them to speed up the vaccination drive in schools.
Dr. Vishal, told to The Hindu, “Parents are playing a very important role in preventing the pandemic. So, it is very important to create awareness among the parents. There are already some SOPs in schools and they will be implemented effectively.”
He also urged parents not to panic. “If children are unwell, you need not send them to school. Vaccination drive is successfully going on all the schools across the state. As of now, the first dose of vaccination is almost 100% completed and the second dose coverage is around 90 to 92%,” he said.
D. Shashikumar, General Secretary of Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka, said many schools are not following SOPs and sanitising and screening the children regularly. “I request our group of schools to tighten the SOPs and sanitise and screen all the students regularly. Of late, socialisation of students in the school is high and we have failed to maintain social distancing. So, we will try to prevent group activities like playing, sharing food and group events at least for a month,” he said.
BBMP guidelines
Steps to be followed by educational institutions
* Thermal screening mandatory for all students and staff
* Anyone with COVID symptoms should immediately be tested, and isolated until the result is known
* Wearing masks, maintaining social distance, using sanitiser, and maintaining cleanliness on school premises compulsory
* Ensure all staff members are fully vaccinated. If there are any eligible staff who are not vaccinated, arrange for them to be vaccinated immediately
* Prompt action by all eligible students of the institute to get vaccinated
Steps to be taken by citizens/parents
* Ensure that all eligible members at home are vaccinated
* If any member of the household has symptoms, immediately get checked at the nearest COVID test centre
* Motivate all eligible children at home to take the vaccine
* Take care of the health of senior members at home
