Is this the right time to reopen schools? Given the current circumstances, this is not the right time to resume physical classes. Omicron is still prevalent in the community and some patients (although their number is small) are being hospitalised, with some even admitted to ICUs. There have been some deaths too. Not every patient has mild symptoms.
Since there has been a drop in testing, the absolute number of cases seems low but the rate of infection is high. The gains made over the last two years as a result of keeping schools closed will be lost if we reopen them immediately.
Further, before opening schools, we should vaccinate our children. Vaccination plays a major role in ensuring that those infected with COVID-19 suffer milder symptoms. We have just started vaccination for the 15-18 age group. It would be better if we complete vaccination of children before reopening schools.
Right now, we have three children admitted in our pediatric ICU. And, few more required hospital admission in the last 15 days. There have been two reported deaths of children in our hospital. These children had co-morbidities but it is the COVID infection that worsened their condition; they died of COVID.
Earlier, people with co-morbidities like hypertension, diabetes etc. led a normal life with regular check-ups and treatment but COVID has led to deterioration of health condition among many such patients.
To say that everything has been opened up and so we should reopen schools too, is a fallacious argument. Because government has not said open everything; there are certain restrictions but people are not following those. Offices, for instance, should allow 50 per cent staff at the premises, with no entry to outsiders. Clearly, nobody is following this.
Small children have a low cardiopulmonary reserve. This coronavirus is known to affect lungs; we cannot risk their health by saying Omicron is a mild infection.
(as told to News18.com)
Dr Sanjeev Kumar is a cardiothoracic surgeon and nodal officer for COVID-19 at AIIMS-Patna. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the stand of this publication.
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