Delhi schools for classes 6-8 to open soon

On Tuesday, an expert panel constituted by the DDMA has recommended the reopening of schools for classes 6 to 8 in Delhi with 50 percent student strength.

 This decision has been taken after noticing no greater risk of covid to children which was confirmed by the partial opening of schools of class 9 to 12.

The move comes after the expert panel of the DDMA held a review meeting recently on the matter.

The panel also noted that attendance of senior class students has increased up to 80 percent, and around 95 percent of teachers and school staff have been vaccinated against COVID-19. 

The 25th meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to discuss the COVID-19 situation in the national capital was held on September 29 and the minutes of the meeting were announced on Tuesday.

Earlier, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal had chaired the meeting and had said that the decision regarding the reopening of schools for classes 6 to 8 will be taken after the festival season.

The director for education had said at the meeting, “No reported instance of any increased local transmission of COVID-19 in Delhi due to reopening of schools for classes 9 to 12.

There has been a steady increase in attendance of students (approximately 80 per cent) physically attending schools.”

The experts present at the September 29 meeting had also opined that the next two to three months are very critical in view of festivals like Navratra, Dusshera, and Diwali.

The national capital on Tuesday had 41 fresh COVID-19 cases and zero death due to the infection, while the positivity rate stood at 0.08 percent, according to data shared by the health department.

Delhi has recorded only four deaths due to the infection in October so far.

Last month, five people had succumbed to the disease.

There are 323 active COVID-19 cases, up from 307 a day ago.

The number of patients in home isolation is 98, an increase from 91 the previous day, it said.