Bengaluru, 2 June

As schools across Karnataka reopened on Monday after summer vacations, students in Bengaluru schools were spotted wearing masks as a precautionary measure amid surge in Covid-19 cases in the state recently.

Students, teachers and non-teaching staffs in many schools across the state were wearing masks and maintained distance during interactions.

Even parents who accompanied students to school were seen wearing masks as they came to drop their children on the first day of school.

Covid-19 appropriate behaviour was seen being followed by students in many schools in Bengaluru City as they lined up at the entrance of the school maintaining distance while entering the premises. Their body temperatures were also being checked by the staffs.

In view of the Covid-19 situation in the state and the reopening of schools, Karnataka government, in a circular issued on Friday, has asked parents not to send their children to school, if they have fever, cough, cold and other symptoms.

The Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare has issued the circular for precautions to be taken in government and private schools, as instructed during the Covid-19 situation review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held on 26 May.

It instructs parents to send the children to school only after complete cure.

If children come to school with fever, cough, cold and other symptoms, inform their parents and send them back to home, the Health Department further said. If these symptoms are found among the school teachers and non-teaching staff, they should be advised to follow appropriate precautionary measures, the circular said.

It also calls for ensuring adherence to precautionary measures like hand hygiene, cough etiquette and other Covid 19 Appropriate Behaviors (CAB).

“Overall, strict adherence to Covid-19 precautionary measures has been instructed in the interest of the health of school children,” it added.

As of Sunday evening 253 Covid active cases have been reported in the state. Four patients with the infection, who had other comorbidities, have died since 1 January.