A specific wing in schools or classrooms where a COVID-19 case has been detected should be closed temporarily, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia, said on Friday.
He however clarified that the entire school should only be closed in specific cases. And that the Delhi government would soon review the situation. Sisodia is also the Education Minister.
His comments come in view of rising Covid cases among students and teachers, post reopening of schools. Instances of Covid infections in school kids and teachers have sparked panic in Delhi – NCR area. Some schools have shifted to online classes while some temporarily suspended classes.
Schools have also been asked to alert the Directorate of Education in case Covid infections are reported amongst its students or teachers.
“We have not asked them to close schools. Our guidelines say that only a specific wing or classroom where someone was found Covid positive should be temporarily closed,” he said.
“Schools can take a decision to close the entire premises in specific cases where an infected child or staff has been through multiple areas of the school….we have made it decentralised,” he clarified in response to a specific question during a press conference.
Students and staff must wear masks and maintain social distancing to all extent possible.
“We will review the situation in our next meeting,” Sisodia said. A meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has been called on April 20.
Delhi, on Thursday, reported 325 fresh Covid cases with the positivity rate at 2.39 per cent. There were zero deaths in the city.
In Uttar Pradesh’s Noida, were similar infections were reported amongst school going kids and teachers, the authorities have asked school administration to immediately bring to notice of the Chief Medical Officer’s office instances of Covid infections (among teachers and kids).
Meanwhile, India on Friday reported 949 new Covid cases with a daily positivity rate of 0.26 per cent; and a weekly positivity rate of 0.25 per cent. There were 810 recoveries in the last 24 hours at an all-India level with the recovery rate being 98.76 per cent.
Over 186 crore vaccine doses have already been issued.