COVID-19, or as most people are calling it, the Coronavirus is starting to seem more and more like the most significant medical challenge the world has faced so far in the 21st Century. While less than 200 cases have been found in India at the time of writing, the Government of India and various states have started to take precautions to slow down the spread.
What does fighting COVID-19 have to do with schools?
School is a place where children from all walks of life come together to learn, grow and have fun. Most significant schools in India have over 300 children, while some schools have more than 5000 children. These children are usually from the age group of 3 to 18. So far, people from this age group have been seen to have the most robust resistance against the novel coronavirus and most of them usually develop only minor to mild symptoms. Sure, there have been severe cases, but they are relatively few and far between.
No, the real danger to schools comes from the high rate at which this novel coronavirus can spread. A single infected student can easily infect his whole classroom in a day. If no actions are taken to quarantine the infected children, then the virus can affect the whole school at a terrifying pace.
However, the situation becomes direr when newly infected school children return home. A vast majority of these children have at least one senior citizen living in their home. The novel coronavirus is especially deadly when it comes to the elderly, and the mortality rate for people aged 60 or above is more than a horrifying 3.6%!
If the virus spreads and infects a school of just 500 children, the consequences can be extremely dire. This is why fighting and containing the spread of COVID-19 in schools is extremely crucial.
What measures are being taken to stop the spread of COVID-19 in schools?
“Social distancing” has become a buzzword(phrase?) in wake of the coronavirus pandemic and with good reason. What it boils down to, is basically staying away from other people so that they can’t pass the virus onto you or so that you can’t pass it onto others. As this article from “The Washington Post” suggests, social distancing may be our best chance at ensuring that the least number of people get affected by the virus until the time a cure is found.
Governments from various countries around the world have accepted this idea and have taken steps to ensure that people don’t find themselves in crowded places by shutting down movie theatres, sporting events etc. Schools have also been shut down for a varied amount of time so that they don’t become hotspots for the creation of “Super Spreaders”.
Have schools been closed in India?
In India, schools in multiple states with COVID-19 cases have been shut down. States like UP, Kerala, MP, West Bengal, etc. have decided to temporarily close all the schools in their jurisdiction to kneecap the spreading of the virus.
Should children be sent to schools in states where they haven’t been closed?
As stated above, social distancing seems to be the most effective way when it comes to slowing down the Coronavirus, and as such, it is advisable that everyone takes all the precautions that they can till the time the situation starts to stabilize and improve.
When will the schools reopen?
Schools in India that have been closed because of Coronavirus will reopen as per the directives issued by the state governments.
Schools in UP are slated to be reopened on 2nd April 2020 while schools in states like MP and West-Bengal will remain closed till 31st March 2020. However, depending upon the situation, the shut-down may be extended.
What about studies till the schools reopen?
Till the time that the schools reopen, the students can continue to study at home using online resources like YouTube. K-12 Online Learning and tutoring companies like Byju’s, Vedantu, Toppr, etc. have made Live Classroom lectures free on their platforms to help the children who are stuck at home.
0 Comments