Reopening schools is a different topic altogether -Dr Paul

The Government has said it will think of reopening schools only when the majority of teachers are vaccinated and more scientific knowledge regarding the impact of the infection among children emerges. "The time should come soon. But we must also consider how schools were reopened in foreign countries and they had to close after the outbreak. We do not want to put our students and teachers in such a situation," Niti Aayog (health) member VK Paul said during the official press meet of the Union health ministry in New Delhi on Friday.  With declining Covid-19 cases in the country, as the second wave is receding, the government once again reiterated that the pandemic is not over yet. Children may not be at a greater risk of contracting Covid-19, but the preparedness is optimal, the government said.

"Unless we have the confidence that the pandemic can't harm us, we should not do this. It is a larger discourse," Dr Paul said. But that does not mean that schools can open and children do not need to maintain social distancing, Dr Paul said adding that this finding regarding the seropositivity rate of children is just one component of the question — when should schools reopen? Some states resumed physical classes after the first wave starting from September 21 last year. But in the wake of the second wave, classes switched to the online mode. Considering the pandemic situation, states have cancelled annual examinations. National- and state-level board exams have also been cancelled in the country.