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Covid norms go for a toss after school hours in Ludhiana
A government schoolteacher, who wished to remain anonymous, said while Covid protocols were strictly maintained on the campus, students tend to let their guards down once the school hours get over
Clear violation of Covid norms by students after school hours is turning out to be the latest trigger in fresh infection spike in Ludhiana.
Scenes of students not following Covid-appropriate behaviour were witnessed outside Government Senior Secondary Model School in PAU as well as another government school near Saggu Chowk.
The situation was no different outside private schools across the city. There was no check by school authorities on students, who were leaving the premises in Sarabha Nagar and Civil Lines.
A government schoolteacher, who wished to remain anonymous, said while Covid protocols were strictly maintained on the campus, students tend to let their guards down once the school hours get over.
Prof PS Bhogal, who teaches political science at Arya College, Civil Lines, said the students were not to be blamed. “Students are young, innocent and full of energy. Many of them are meeting their peer group after nearly a year. It is important that the authorities devise some mechanism to stop the intermingling of students during and after school hours,” said Bhogal.
No sampling in private schools yet, DEOs asked to share list
While testing has been intensified in government schools after 20 students tested positive for coronavirus, no tests are being carried out in private schools to check the status of infection. The matter was again highlighted during the visit of DC Varinder Kumar Sharma to the government school on Cemetery Road. Some of the parents demanded that sampling on similar lines should be carried out in private schools as well.
“The health department is aware of the prominent private schools of the town, but no testing has been carried out in private schools,” said Davinder Sharma, one of the parents.
Meanwhile, district epidemiologist Dr Rameh Bhagat said, “We have asked the district education officers (DEOs), both elementary and secondary, to share the list of private schools in the district so that the health department could start collecting samples.
However, despite repeated attempts, comments of DEO (secondary) Lakhvir Singh couldn’t be elicited.
Schools, colleges driver of infection: CMCH report
Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) in its report presented to the government earlier during the year had mentioned that schools and colleges could be drivers of the virus.
In the report, it was observed that youngsters carry high viral load, but mild symptoms of infection which could result in the virus spread among the elderly.
Even during the second wave, it had come to the fore that 18 teachers and 28 students were found infected at the government school in Galib Kalan. One of the teachers had even succumbed to the contagion.
Soon, cases began to emerge from other government schools and within a span of a month, second wave of the pandemic had spread in the entire district.
No need to panic: DC
“There is no need to panic as necessary action is being taken. We have identified that the 20 infected students live in 12 colonies located in the vicinity of the school. All the students are asymptotic. Health department teams have been sent to these colonies to test the family members and people with whom the children had come in contact. Only those teachers who have been fully vaccinated are allowed to attend the schools,” the DC said.
“We do not want to take any knee-jerk action. Already, children’s studies have taken a hit due to the closing of schools. I have asked the health department to conduct RTPCR tests instead of rapid-antigen ones,” he added.
