Technical Advisory Committee favours continuation of physical classes
The State’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is in favour of continuing physical classes with strict COVID-19 appropriate behaviour (CAB) for schoolchildren in the 6-18 years group. This is based on the low test positivity rate (TPR) of 0.05% in this group, which is far less compared to the State’s seven-day average TPR of 0.31%.
TAC members, who deliberated on surveillance of schoolchildren for COVID-19 at the committee’s 139th meeting held on Monday, examined the data on RT-PCR testing of schoolchildren in the 6-18 years group from December 1 to 10. Of the 4.28 lakh children screened, 29,675 samples were collected for COVID tests. Of these only 15 tested positive, which accounts for 0.05%. “The low TPR (0.05%) in schoolchildren favours continuation of physical classes with strict CAB,” stated the TAC report.
Decline in TPR
The TPR in schoolchildren declined from 0.08% in mid-September to 0.04% by November 30. Although it marginally increased to 0.05% in the first 10 days of December, it is still lesser than the State average. This indicates that the transmission in children is under control despite reopening of schools, a TAC member said.
Following reopening of classes VI to VIII (from September 6) and classes IX to XII (from August 23), schoolchildren were being subjected to random RT-PCR testing regularly.
Although the Health Department had announced that 10% of the daily tests will be in children, the testing rate in September had dropped from 9% to 3%. Concerned over this, TAC had recommended that the 10% testing rate in children should be maintained. Subsequently, the testing rate increased to 7% by November 30.
Veena V., deputy director, Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram, said efforts are being made to ramp up testing. “Our testing staff are regularly visiting schools to take up testing. We are testing only symptomatic children now,” she said.
Pointing out that testing of children is now done only in schools, the official said, “Earlier, when schools had not opened, our staff were visiting villages to test symptomatic children. But now as we can get all children under one roof in schools, we are testing only in schools. This is apart from regular testing in health facilities,” she said.
Testing in schools
TAC chairman M.K. Sudarshan said testing children in schools has its own epidemiological significance. “If a child tests positive in a school, it does not mean the infection has been picked up in school. The child’s contacts at home can be easily traced and tracked, thereby curbing the transmission. What is most important is that CAB should be followed strictly in schools,” he said.
Pointing out that clusters are being reported mainly in nursing colleges, hostels, and boarding schools, he said this was due to lack of proper screening and implementation of COVID appropriate measures especially in dining halls and common areas of boarding schools and hostels. “We have now recommended random checks in educational institutions, hostels, and residential schools by joint monitoring teams from the Health and Education Departments at the taluk level. Children should be allowed in dining halls in a staggered manner,” he said.
Besides, the TAC had also recommended weekly testing of kitchen staff, wardens, and other office personnel of hostels and residential schools. “These people should furnish weekly negative RT-PCR reports during random checks. Unless these things are monitored and implemented, clusters are bound to occur, more so in the winter months. We have to continue to remain watchful, especially in the context of Omicron,” he added.
Source: Read Full Article