School authorities have been directed to prepare mid-day meal for children and distribute them adhering to COVID protocol besides ensuring them the service of a doctor.
The schools in Kerala, after a break of more than a year and a half due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are set to reopen in a staggered manner from Monday, the first of November.
With 95 percent of the population who are over 18 years of age vaccinated with at least the first dose and a reduction in the number of new cases and people undergoing COVID-19 treatment, the state has been able to relax social restrictions, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.
Here are five points from CM Vijayan's office:
- Schools will reopen starting with classes 1 to 7, 10, and 12 and with COVID protocols, like bio-bubbles in place.
- To keep schools functioning in a safe manner, guidelines prepared by the Health and Education departments need to be strictly followed by the schools.
- School authorities have been directed to prepare mid-day meals for children and distribute them adhering to COVID protocol besides ensuring them the service of a doctor.
- Along with soap and sanitizer, a thermal scanner to examine the body temperature of children, teachers, and non-teaching staff would also be arranged in each school. The preparations included cleaning and disinfecting places where children throng and strictly implementing the bio-bubble system.
- Schools need to implement measures to control congestion, maintain social distancing and ensure cleanliness in classrooms and the surroundings.
In view of the COVID spread, the state government has been imparting online education to the children in the government and aided schools for the last two academic years including the ongoing one.
The CM, on Sunday, said although studies were progressing well via the online method, children were missing out on studying and playing with their friends and therefore, the situation would be changing from November 1.
