4 precautions to keep students safe in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases

According to media reports, India on April 2, 2023, reported 3,823 new COVID-19 cases. It was a 27 per cent jump from the figures on April 1, 2023, according to the Health Ministry. At 18,389, the active cases comprise 0.04 per cent of the total infections. The national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.77 per cent, according to the Health Ministry website. The daily positivity rate stood at 2.87 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 2.24 per cent.

Meanwhile, early last week, amid the rising coronavirus cases, some private hospitals across Mumbai reopened COVID-19 wards with a handful of admissions trickling in daily.

With the schools opening today (on April 5, 2023), parents are a bit worried about how to protect their children. They are also apprehensive about the rising H3N2 cases and frequently their children are getting coughs and colds. The most common question that is playing on their minds is: Should they send their kids to school?

“Parents must continue to send their children to school provided they are in the pink of health. Students have already lost a lot of learning during the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. As of now, the situation is under control, and don’t have to worry or panic and go into a defensive mode,” Dr Nupur Sud, a paediatrician, and alumna of Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park advised.

This is not the time to hit the panic button. But there is a need to be vigilant since the cases are increasing

–Dr Nupur Sud, a paediatrician, and alumna of Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park

There is no reason to worry

Parents, Dr Sud said, should not be worried, but they should be cautious. “This is not the time to hit the panic button. But there is a need to be vigilant since the cases are increasing. At present, there is a significant overlap between COVID-19 and flu (H3N2) cases at least when we look at the initial symptoms of cough, cold, and fever. So, until an RT-PCR is done, it is tough to tell what is driving the numbers. This year, we have seen a huge rise in H3N2 cases which is more severe. The minute a child has a cough or cold, he/she must be taken to a doctor,” Dr Sud stressed.

She added that this will ensure that the infection is detected early and the upper respiratory infection is not worsening and the child is getting timely and appropriate treatment. “However, there is no need for parents to get their kids tested for RT-PCR. This test should only be done on the recommendation of the doctor. This is because, in most cases, the test may not be required to begin with,” Dr Sud opined.

Precautions that the school can take:

“While parents must tell their children to practice proper hygiene, there are a couple of things that the school can also do and ensure that students remain safe and healthy,” Dr Sud said.

1.       The teachers can remind the students to wash their hands between classes.

2.       The school can ensure that the rooms where various activities are taking place are well-ventilated.