Director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi says that the country should consider reopening schools in a "staggered way". Most schools in India have been shut since the first nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19 was imposed in March of last year.
Classes are being conducted virtually ever since. While the central government did allow a phased reopening of schools last October, the decision was withdrawn soon after.
AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria said, "I am a proponent of opening up schools in a staggered way, for districts that are seeing less virus circulation."
"It [reopening of schools] can be planned for places having positivity rates below 5 per cent," Dr Guleria said.
The renowned pulmonologist and member of India's Task Force on Covid-19 also said that schools can be immediately shut if surveillance hints at the spread of infection. But districts should explore the option of bringing children to schools on alternate days and plan other ways of staggered reopening, he added.
Dr Guleria went on to say, "The reason is not just a normal life for our kids, but also the importance of schooling in the overall development of a child should be looked at."
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