Chennai, Feb 1 (BPNS)
The schools in Tamil Nadu from 1 to 12 classes reopened on Tuesday after being shut following the third wave of the Covid -19 pandemic. The state health department has however issued stringent Covid protocols to be implemented in the schools.
The department of Public health has in a circular on Monday said that all the teachers and nonteaching staff in the school have to take 2 doses of vaccine. The eligible students must also ensure that they have taken at least one dose of the vaccine.
Schools and colleges are also directed to adhere to Covid -19 appropriate behaviour by strictly adhering to wearing of masks and ensuring social distancing and washing of hands with soap water as also sanitization of hands regularly.
The state public health department has also called upon the school management to daily disinfect the campuses twice a day. Students and staff members must be screened before they enter the campus and if anyone is showing signs of fever and cold, they should be made to undergo an RT-PCR test. Those who are undergoing the RT-PCR test must be kept in quarantine till the test results are out and if found positive must be isolated and Covid positive protocol is followed.
The state health department has also directed teachers and students staying in containment zones not to attend school until the situation in their places improves. Employees at higher risk including pregnant women, older employees with comorbidities must take extra caution while coming to schools.
Tamil Nadu health minister, Ma Subramanian while speaking to BPNS said, “The Tamil Nadu health department has recommended the government to give the go-ahead to reopen schools as the cases are dipping as also to ensure that proper Covid -19 protocols are followed in schools. “
However several parents are reluctant to send their wards to the schools and many have decided not to send children to schools.
Haritha Kumari, a bank employee at Adayar while speaking to BPNS said, “ I have decided that my daughter is not attending classes. While school management and health department will say several things, practically we know that these won’t be adhered to. Children will not wear masks and may even exchange one. My daughter is in primary classes and they need not have opened classes for children from class 1 to 5th at least. If the government allows online classes it’s well and good, otherwise, also I won’t send my child. She is more important than her studies.”
