A day before schools resume in-person lessons for Classes I-XII, the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine has issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be followed in both schools and colleges.
Officials including deputy directors of health, corporation health officers, and municipal health officers have been asked to ensure, in their respective jurisdictions, that schools and colleges strictly adhere to the SOPs.
In a circular, the Director of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine said all eligible staff should be vaccinated with two doses and all teenagers in the 15-18 age group should have also taken the jab.
Schools and colleges have been asked to ensure COVID-19-appropriate behaviour, including wearing face masks at all times and washing hands at regular intervals. Group lunches are not permitted on campus.
Disinfection measures
Campuses should be disinfected twice a day, and students and staff members must be screened for fever before they enter. Anyone with symptoms should undergo an RT-PCR test for the virus and be under quarantine until the test results come out. Those who test positive should be isolated and treated as per guidelines, and any contact who develops symptoms should undergo testing as well.
Campuses should also have prominent markings and signages to ensure physical distancing norms and safety protocol in classrooms, washrooms, entry and exit points. Marking circles for queues and separate lanes, with arrows for coming and going, have been recommended. Institutions are expected to sensitise students and parents ahead of the reopening, inform them about the best practices to be followed for safety and hygiene on campus.
Teachers and students staying in containment zones have been asked not to attend schools or colleges until their situation improves. Employees at a higher risk, including older employees, pregnant women, and those with underlying medical conditions, have been asked to take extra precautions.