Delta under control, no threat, Telangana DPH allays fear of parents

Hyderabad: Allaying fears over the threat of Covid pandemic among parents of school going children, Director of Public Health (DPH), Dr G Srinivasa Rao on Wednesday said that the second Covid wave is very much under control in Telangana and there should not be any cause for concern over a further surge in cases.

Possibility of a third wave when schools in Telangana reopen are very remote, the DPH said, adding that that daily new Covid infections have dropped significantly and recovery rates have continued to remain over 95 percent.

“Multiple sero-surveys in Telangana have indicated that more than 60 percent of individuals, including children have acquired natural immunity. Moreover, 95 percent of the staff including teachers in Governments schools have been vaccinated. There is ample evidence that Covid infectivity rate among children is minimal,” he assured.

There are 63 lakh school-going children in Telangana and for more than a year they have attended online classes, which has impacted the traditional mode of classroom learning. Children should not be confined to indoors for such a long time and must be allowed to go to classrooms and interact with other children, which is a part of their learning. There is always a risk of children developing mental health issues, if they continue to remain indoors for long periods. Considering all these issues, Chief Minister in consultation with other departments, decided to open schools, Dr Srinivasa Rao said.

Right from the first Covid wave, Telangana has been quite proactive in implementing pandemic containment strategies. As a result, the mortality rate due to Covid is below 0.5 percent while only three percent of children below 10 years have tested positive and recovery rate among them is 100 percent.

The State health wing in collaboration with other departments including GHMC, Gram Panchayats and Education department has ensured to sanitise the premises of all government schools. “Parents should encourage their children to take precautions like using masks and sanitizers. There is a rise in seasonal diseases and children with such symptoms can remain at home,” Dr Srinivasa Rao said.

 

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