Andhra schools, colleges report a minute 0.3 per cent positivity rate 

VIJAYAWADA: The Covid-19 positivity rate among school and college students and teachers in Andhra Pradesh has stood at a low of 0.3 per cent after eight days of attendance. Classes for ninth, tenth and second year Intermediate students resumed in the State on November 2. 

AP is one of the very few States to reopen schools and colleges in the country. Contrary to the apprehensions that there is a possibility of educational institutions turning into superspreaders for Covid-19, the positivity rate was as low as  0.3 per cent in the State. Only 1,491 students and teachers out of the total 5,12,890, tested positive for Covid-19.  “Andhra Pradesh has topped the number of tests per million chart for over six months now and it has been continuing to conduct more number of tests. This led to the number of cases rising to as many as 10,000 a day when the State hit its peak,” a health official said. 

Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare Katamaneni Bhaskar said, “We stick to our strategy of large scale testing, early detection and early treatment despite the numbers increasing as we believed in our strategy. The infection level in AP is not as high as it could be in a few other States, and the same is reflected in the numbers.’’