Any excursion or tour involving school children will remain postponed until coronavirus threat

CORONA alert sounded in State

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Any excursion or tour involving school children will remain postponed until the novel coronavirus threat is completely contained in the country.

The above is the advisory issued by the State Health Department. Health Commissioner Anurag Goel, who is also the nodal officer for coronavirus-outbreak control, on Thursday asked the Directorates of Elementary Education and Secondary Education to avoid excursions by school students within and outside Assam until the threat from coronavirus is completely contained.

“The Health Department will also request the private schools to follow the same,” a source said.

On the other hand, the Education department has issued a slew of do’s and don’ts in schools to make the students aware of the threat and how to protect themselves. Training camps for schoolteachers are also being held in the State regarding precautionary measures to be taken to keep the students safe.

A headmaster of a government primary school in the city said that besides teachers all parents and children have been told to take precautionary measures. “We have asked students to bring hand sanitizers to wash their hands frequently. My school has also purchased an adequate number of hand wash bottles and soaps for the use of teachers as well as students,” the headmaster said.

Another headmaster of a high school, however, said it is difficult to convince each and every student to take precautions. “Some of my teachers suggest that like Delhi and Manipur the schools in Assam should also be closed for some days till the situation improves or stabilizes,” he said.

N95 mask and sanitizers, recommended for use by the World Health Organization (WHO) to prevent infection from novel coronavirus, are still running short in the city. Even though the availability of N95 mask has gone up a little, a shortage of small sanitizers that could be carried easily while moving out of home is still very acute.

“People should use sanitizers before eating or they should wash their hands with soap or hand wash. People should use the N95 mask and if this is not available in the market then one can also use the general mask,” a doctor at Gauhati Medical College & Hospital said.

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