A medical expert team yesterday, welcomed the idea of the Delhi government to reopen schools, colleges and coaching institutes in the national capital but urged the parents to tread with caution by teaching Covid protocols to children.
Following the lower infection rates yesterday the Delhi government announced that schools for classes 9 to 12, colleges and coaching institutions will reopen from September 1. Teaching and learning activities will continue to be conducted in a blended model.
Dr Rahul Nagpal, Director, Pediatrics and Neonatology at Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj said schools have to open in a staggered manner with proper guidelines in place.
“What I am seeing is that children are completely lost and we have to look at their mental faculties. Children have to be educated about the new normal by parents.
“As for schools, they have to ensure proper ventilation in classrooms which is a problem and they might go for hybrid education, some of it might be offline and online,” Nagpal told PTI.
However, schools are completely shut from April
According to Dr (Maj) Manish Mannan, HOD – Paediatrics and Neonatology at Paras Healthcare, the side effects of isolation in children are far severe than that of Covid infection.
“Mental illnesses, obesity, aggressive behaviour, sleep disorders and other cognitive problems have been rising at an alarming rate which has been going unnoticed. The physical exercises, the brain quiz classes have gone missing during the last year, even after parents tried their best to meet the needs,” Mannan said. He also added, “ICMR stated that kids have a better metabolism to handle viruses, and I believe that too by taking care of their health and nutrition we should allow kids to go to school. It’s good for their mental as well as physical wellbeing,”
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