Some schools have reopened for in-person learning, while others are using a hybrid mix of in-person and remote (online) learning. But parents and teachers might wonder whether it's safe to send their kids to school even as a new COVID wave is emerging across the country.
While it is important to note that parents have many things to consider ¡ª their needs around work, education, and childcare, and their family's health and safety, the benefits of in-school learning cannot be ignored. Younger children and kids with special needs learn best in school. Middle school and high school students might be better able to handle distance learning.
Here are some points to discuss about.
Schools are more than a place for kids to learn. They're also safe places for children to be while their parents are working, and they support kids' physical, mental, social, and emotional health.But they're safe only if they use safety measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus at the school, and the local community has the spread of the virus under control.
But considering many recent instances of schools re-opening in many states and being instantly hit by a coronavirus surge, is detrimental?to the future of schooling. Like, 225 students of a public school hostel in Maharashtra's Washim district tested coronavirus positive on Feb 24, which forced the authorities to shut the building. Similarly, earlier this month around 190 students and 70 teachers of two government schools in Malappuram tested positive for COVID-19, over 250 students got infected in a school in Punjab's Chandigarh too.
In US and UK among other nations, school staff especially teachers are considered as "frontline essential workers" ¡ª meaning they're among the earliest in line to get the new coronavirus vaccines. However, in India, teachers are not classified as "frontline workers" and not been listed for covid vaccines. Another point to be discussed -- that children cannot be rushed to be given the vaccine. Earlier in January, Manish Sisodia, deputy chief minister of Delhi had said that government school teachers from Delhi who took part in the Covid-19 duty will be considered as frontline workers and placed under that category.
On Wednesday, the subject expert committee of Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation heard an application by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International that sought approval for Phase 3 clinical trials of Covaxin on children between 5-18 years of age, where the panel asked the company to produce efficacy data on adults for its vaccine before seeking permission to test Covaxin on children.
This even as Bharat Biotech is yet to submit its Phase 3 efficacy data on Covaxin which has already been approved for use in the country for adults in a clinical trial mode based on the safety and immunogenicity data the company had previously submitted.