As state govt mulls to reopen schools, 50% private school staff in Pune yet to be fully vaccinated

Pune: The paediatric task force has recommended that the state government consider reopening of schools as it was crucial for the kids psychologically, but also warned that the third Covid wave may hit kids more than the first two waves

Pune: The paediatric task force has recommended that the state government consider reopening of schools as it was crucial for the kids psychologically, but also warned that the third Covid wave may hit kids more than the first two waves.

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Multiple health experts and education experts have pointed out the ill-effects of kids staying out of school for over two years and have recommended that schools reopen given that the school staff be fully vaccinated to ensure less risk for students as there is no approved vaccine yet for kids.

Pune district has fully vaccinated almost 100% of the government school staff who got it under the frontline workers category earlier. However, more than 50% of private school staff is yet to be fully vaccinated.

As per the district report, Pune district has more than 28,000 teaching and non-teaching staff in government schools of which 24,000 have got both the vaccines. However, of the 27,000 staff from private schools, only 11,000 have got both the jabs.

Earlier, the rural administration had conducted special drives for school staff to ensure that they are fully vaccinated sooner. During a virtual programme, state paediatric task force head Dr Suhas Prabhu said, “Reopening of schools was crucial for the children psychologically although parents are still apprehensive about sending their kids to schools. Classrooms should be ventilated properly, crowding at buses, during lunch hours and at playgrounds must also be avoided and classrooms and toilets must be regularly and thoroughly sanitised. Schools must be equipped with pulse oximeters, thermometers and sanitisers to check kids daily.”

As per the district health office, Pune district has totally 44,532 teachers and 11,657 non-teaching staff in both private and government schools of which 77.57% have got the first shot of the vaccine and 35,624 have been fully vaccinated which is 63% of the estimated population.

As of now, no vaccine has been approved for kids and so the population aged below 18 continues to remain a vulnerable population. As of now, Covavax is undergoing safety trials for anti-Covid vaccine for kids aged 12-18 which would further go down to kids aged two years.

PMC education officer Meenakshi Raut said, “We have 265 schools under the civic body and all of them have been vaccinated. We are fully prepared to reopen schools if the state government issues an order stating that. Our schools are equipped with pulse oximeter, sanitisers and other necessary materials to ensure that kids remain safe in schools as well.”