School kids highest risk group in 4th wave
Rising numbtr of cases in state not because of returnees: DR Rajo
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 10 2022: Following the announcement that the fourth wave of Covid-19 has reached Manipur, the number of positive cases is slowly rising in the state.

The group at the highest risk of infection this time is the school going children.

If the virus were to infect this group, it would spread at an alarming rate and escalate the pandemic situation in the state.

Speaking to The People's Chronicle (TPC) in this regard, a health expert stated that as majority of the schools are closed for the summer vacation/break, the number of students going to school is also less.

However, once the students return to their schools after the vacation break, the situation could worsen within a short period of time.

The health expert said that no matter how strict measures are taken up by the school authorities, it would be an uphill task to make young children follow the Covid-19 protocols and appropriate behaviour.

On top of this, school van service providers generally jam pack 12-17 kids in one single van, which would make it impossible to maintain social distancing.

Thus, both the school authorities and the state government need to take up necessary measures before the pandemic strikes the school going children.

When this daily spoke with Health Services director Dr K Rajo regarding this matter, the director informed that requisite measures are being taken up in consultation with the different departments.

The health department is also closely monitoring the situation so as to take up additional measures if the number of positive cases continues to rise.

Dr Rajo then informed that the central government has initiated the process for vaccination of children in the age group of 5-12 years and expressed belief that the vaccines would soon be made avail able to the state.

If the students, teachers and van service providers follow the Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) properly and the eligible groups get vaccinated, there will be no need for panic that the virus will spread among the students.

Nonetheless, if the situation were to become serious, the Education department will take up necessary action, he assured.

Remarking that the rising num ber of positive cases in the state is not because of returnees, the director pointed out that 99 percent of the infection was spread among the people.

Although the government is properly tracing the contacts, people have begun to take the pandemic lightly and as such, gatherings have increased, not to mention of the change in temperature, which has enabled the virus to become stronger and more transmissible.

However, even if majority of the population are vaccinated, the infection rate is not that high.

Aside from Covid-19, there is also an increase in dengue and malaria cases.

Thus, it is equally important to ensure the children are immunised as per the routine, he remarked.

TPC then talked with Education Department director L Nandakumar, who conveyed that the department is discussing the steps to be taken in view of the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the state.

The Department will initiate action as per the technical steps taken up by the Health Department.

So far, no instruction has been received from the Health Department in this regard, he said, while adding that the Education Department is, nonetheless, paying close attention to the evolving situation.

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