Rajesh Tope: 'Omicron covid variant is not yet a threat to the state, school will start on December 1'

Parents are worried about sending their children to school against the backdrop of Omicron covid variant. Therefore, everyone's attention has been drawn to the meeting of the education department and the health department regarding the decision taken to start the school from December 1. Prior to this, the Directorate of Health Services has issued guidelines for starting schools. After that, now after the meeting with the Chief Minister, Health Minister Rajesh Tope has also made an important statement regarding starting the school.

Our state still has no fears about Omicron. This is because it does not appear to have infected anywhere, and there are no reports of genomic conditions. So, don't worry too much. However, in view of the impact it has had on South Africa, a meeting of the Health Department and the Task Force, including the Chief Minister, was held to take precautions. Accordingly, the schools will start as scheduled on December 1, said Rajesh Tope.

These guidelines have been issued by the Directorate of Health Services at Zilla Parishad, Municipal Corporation and Nagarpalika level on the background of starting 1st to 7th schools across the state. This includes six feet distance between the two students, mandatory wearing of school masks, personal and school hygiene, complete vaccination of teachers and non-teaching staff, non-adoption of biometric system, avoidance of school activities, games or group prayers. It has been clarified that only persons who have no symptoms should be allowed to enter the school premises or classrooms.

Online education should be made available to quarantine students and the school's covid prevention action plan should be reviewed if more than five children in the same class of the school are found to be infected with corona within a period of two weeks. In addition, schools have been instructed to provide counseling so that the mental health of children and teachers can be affected, leading to depression and stress.