Caution is the keyword ahead of school reopening

Concerns about COVID-19 may be slowly fading away, but the Education department is not taking any chances ahead of school reopening on June 1.

A special three-day vaccination drive was launched on Thursday to cover students in the 12-14 age group. Department sources said in Kozhikode that that the effort would be to cover as many children as possible to ensure that they are immune from the infection. The drive titled ‘Eduguard’ would cover all government hospitals and schools have been told to rope in residents’ associations and voluntary groups. Corbevax will be administered to the children.

The students can either register on the portal or opt for spot registration. Either school identity cards or Aadhaar should be brought to the vaccination centre, and parents have to accompany their wards. Data from the Education department said that 81% of students in the 15-17 age group in the State had been administered the first dose and 52% had been given the second dose. In the 12-14 age group, 40% had been given the first dose and 11% had been given the second dose.

Teachers, students, and staff have also been told to mandatorily wear face masks when they are in schools. The pandemic protocol laid out for schools last year would be in force this time as well.

At a meeting held on Wednesday to review the preparations, Minister for Public Works P.A. Mohamed Riyas directed the officials to complete the cleaning and other works by Friday. Fitness certificates should be procured after finishing maintenance works and painting of the buildings. Wells and water tanks should be sanitised and water samples should be sent for lab tests. Kitchen premises too should be cleaned and cooking staff should have health cards.

The minister told officials to examine the presence of reptiles on school premises. If there are trees or their branches that may uproot or fall during the rain, they should be cut and removed.