Delhi schools urged to shut down if Covid-19 cases rise: DoE issues advisory

NEW DELHI: The Directorate of Education (DoE) has issued an advisory to Delhi schools in view of a rise in Covid-19 cases in the national capital. It also urged Delhi schools to shut down if Covid-19 cases rise. Earlier in the day, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and education minister Manish Sisodia announced to issue Covid-19 guidelines to schools to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

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As per the Delhi government advisory, all schools in Delhi “are hereby advised to take precautionary measures to prevent any such spreading of Covid infection in their respective schools”. It also listed the measures to be taken by the Delhi schools.

• Wearing of masks by students, teacher and other staff of the school
• Maintenance of social distancing to a possible extent.
• Regular washing of hands and use of sanitizer.
• Creating of awareness about prevention of COvid infection among students, teachers, other staffs and parents visiting the school.

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“If any Covid cases in noticed or reported to the school authority, the same must be intimated to the Directorate of Education immediately and the concerned wing of the school or the school as a whole must be closed for the time being,” it said.

"COVID cases have slightly increased but there is no rise in hospitalisation, so we need not worry. There is no need to panic but stay alert. We have to learn to live with COVID. We are constantly monitoring the situation," Sisodia told reporters.

"I have got reports from a few schools in the past few days where parents have informed about their child testing positive," he said during a press conference here.

Delhi on Wednesday reported 299 new COVID-19 cases, a jump of 118 per cent in two days. The positivity rate stood at 2.49 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department.