Hyderabad: Health department's thumbs-up for sending children to schools

Hyderabad: The State Health department on Wednesday recommended to parents send their children to schools without any fear or hesitation. It claimed there are no Covid cases in the State and suggested to both the government and private school managements to conduct physical classes with no worries. The department also advised parents not to get panicky if children develop any symptoms because signs of seasonal ailments and Covid are the same.

Director of Public Health and Family Welfare Dr G Srinivas Rao said that, after discussing for hours and taking all precautionary measures the CM had decided to reopen schools.

He said over 95 per cent of teachers of both government and private schools in the State have been vaccinated. As such there is no chance of virus transmission to students from teachers.

The District Education Officers were told that teaching and non-teaching staff yet to be vaccinated should not be allowed into schools. Teachers who were not administrated the second dose may go to any vaccination centre for the jab. They will be vaccinated on a priority basis. Also District Medical Health Officers (DMHOs) have been instructed to coordinate with local bodies to ensure safety in schools.

The Panchayat Raj department in rural areas and the Municipal Administration departments in urban areas have been given the responsibility to regularly monitor schools. If five children from a school test positive, it will be declared as cluster and will close for a Week. Children who test positive will be sent into isolation and the primary and secondary contacts of the affected will be traced, tested and will be sent to home quarantine for a week. Teachers have been instructed to send children home immediately in case of any Covid symptoms. Parents have been asked to take children for tests, Dr Rao added.

He asked educational institutions to call the department for vaccination. If needed mobile vaccination vehicles will be sent to universities and other educational institutions for the benefit of students aged above 18.

He said the ZyCoV-D vaccine developed by Cadila Healthcare was ready for launch in mid-September for children aged above 12 years, as it has been approved and cleared all trials. The vaccine from Bharat Biotech for children is also in the pipeline. It may be launched by the year-end.