Karnataka panel suggests reopening of schools, wants all children insured

A day after the Telangana government announced reopening of schools and other educational institutions from July 1, an expert panel set up by the Karnataka government, under well-known cardiac surgeon Dr Devi Shetty, recommended reopening schools in the state after providing a health insurance of Rs 2 lakh for every student attending offline classes.

Some of the other prominent suggestions made by the ‘High Level Expert Committee for Prevention and Management of COVID Wave-3’ are as follows:

1. Older students should join first and classes should be staggered in shifts.

2. Make it compulsory for all teaching staff to download Arogya Setu app. Teachers above the age of 60 or those with comorbidities can work from home.

3. Students who have chronic illnesses or are on medications should consult the doctors before attending offline classes.

4. Schools should have counsellor and medical nurse.

Also read: Active COVID case decline in 90% of 650 districts: Report

The 16-member expert committee submitted an interim report to the state government recently and has favoured reopening of schools.

Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar told Deccan Herald that the state will complete its preparedness for a possible third wave within 45 days of receiving the final report from the panel.

The committee submitted its projections about the third wave, which is likely to hit the country by the end of August. As per the report, about 3.4 lakh out of the 2.3 crore children in Karnataka in the 0-18 age group may get infected this time. Of them, 23,804 children might require hospitalisation, 6,801 may require ICU and 43,358 would require COVID care centres. At least 85 percent of the infected children will be asymptomatic.

WATCH: COVID 3rd wave may affect 3.4L children: K’taka expert panel

As per the panel’s estimate, children would require 27,205 hospital beds with 13,602 ICU or HDU beds and 54,409 beds in COVID Care Centres during the third wave’s peak. Bengaluru would require 3,677 hospital beds with 1,838 ICU or HDU beds and an additional 7,353 beds in COVID Care Centres, The Times of India reported.

The Devi Shetty-led panel also suggested compulsory vaccination for people (above the age of 18) who interact with children at home or school, including parents, relatives, teachers etc.