Kerala could be rushing things as schools are set to open amid the presence of COVID-19

A sense of desperation is discernible among parents of students in Kerala as the day of reopening of schools and colleges approaches. Come November 1, the day the State of Kerala was formed in 1956, educational institutions would reopen after 21 months of COVID-induced lockdown. Students are thrilled at the prospect of going back to classes which would come alive with their lovely presence. The sullen silence that had enveloped schools is sure to give way to a sense of energy and positivity, a refreshing change. But the question being asked by the medical community in Kerala is whether the State is ready to play dice with the health of children. Kerala is yet to rid itself of the tentacles of the pandemic. The daily caseload has declined, says Veena George, the Minister. But doctors point out that bureaucrats and policy makers are fudging the figures. The Test Positivity Rate is hovering around 13 per cent and the number of samples tested per day is less than one lakh. This is in stark contrast to neighbouring Tamil Nadu which tests on an average 1.5 lakh samples per day.

Though schools have reopened in Tamil Nadu, the State continues with online classes to help those who prefer to stay indoors. Kerala is yet to learn from its mistakes of tampering with guidelines issued by the Indian Council of Medical Research. While it is easy to manage grown-up students in colleges, children in schools would need individual care. According to Government doctors, the State need not have opened at least the schools. “We have already lost more than half of this academic year to the pandemic. Instead of reopening the schools, the Government could have waited for another six months for the pandemic to subside,” opines a senior doctor. He feels that it would be a tough job to ensure that children do not contract the virus. Yet another disturbing factor is a post-COVID syndrome like ‘memory fag’. Those who were immobilised by COVID-19 assert that they were suffering from memory loss. Utmost care must be taken to protect students from this virus which would likely leave them short of memory. Overcrowded temples, liquor outlets, markets, public transport and ring roads in the State do not augur well for trouble-free education. As of now, the adage 'better late than never' suits the State well.