But they have to follow govt’s Covid guidelines
Bengaluru: Since children and young adults are at a low risk of coronavirus infection, vaccination is not compulsory for students.
An officer at the district health office who requested he not be named said the health department cannot make vaccination compulsory for students. However, the department has strongly advised schools to follow all the guidelines strictly to prevent any further spread. Students have a low risk of having co-morbidities, but they must learn to stay safe, wear face masks, and maintain physical distancing.
M.S. Prasanna Kumar, executive officer of primary education, informed The Observer: “Parents are to provide asymptomatic reports of their wards attending on-site classes. Furthermore, it is essential for a student to be in quarantine if Covid symptoms are detected. School assemblies are banned to ensure greater safety of students. However, Covid tests for teachers are compulsory as directed by the health department in one of its SOPs.”
The protocols ordered by the health department on September 30, 2020, under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, include guidelines for health, hygiene, safety, and learning with physical/social distancing. The guidelines detail how to keep schools safe. School administrators, teachers and other staff are supposed to follow them.
Krishnaji S. Kariyannavara, director of secondary education, said parents are not supposed to send their children if they have co-morbid conditions. Studies will still receive online education as onsite classes are not compulsory for students.
The state is undergoing phase 2 of Covid vaccination and, at the same time, planning to initiate phase 3, increasing the wait of students.
Tejashwini and Priyadarshini, botany students at Bangalore Central University, said: “We will keep on fighting against Covid-19. We will take the vaccine once it’s available for all students. Moreover, if the institution makes inoculation compulsory for students, we will positively respond to it as Covid-19 has caused many deaths and disruption. People are skeptical about taking the vaccine. However, to our knowledge, it is safe. It will take a little time for people to get used to the vaccine.”
