• Schools can’t insist on test report: DDPI
• Intensive drive on to vaccinate teachers ahead of reopening

Mysore/Mysuru: Preparations are in full swing for vaccination and RT-PCR testing of teachers in city in view of re-opening of schools from Aug. 23. Offline classes will be held for 9th and 10th standard students after a gap of nearly    18 months.

Close on reports that RT-PCR test is mandatory for school going students, District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. K.H. Prasad clarified to SOM that it was not mandatory for students. However, they are free to get themselves tested voluntarily at any of the testing centres in city.

Meanwhile, Ramachandraraje Urs, Deputy Director, Department of Public Instructions (DDPI), re-iterated that the State Government has not made RT-PCR test compulsory for students attending offline classes from next Monday. “It has come to my notice that some teachers and schools are insisting on RT-PCR test for the kids. It is wrong. I will issue a clarification in this regard by evening,” he added.

He said, already 90 percent of teaching and non-teaching staff of schools have taken both doses and the rest will be vaccinated soon. In coordination with Health Department, arrangements are made for the vaccination of teachers at their nearby Primary Health Centre (PHC) or Urban PHC on priority, he said. 

It has been made mandatory for teachers to produce certificate on taking both doses of vaccine without which they will not get the salary. The purpose of insisting teachers to get vaccinated is to ensure the safety of students, the DDPI said.

Nearly, 85,125 students are studying in class 9 and 10 in district — 30,685 in Government schools, 32,531 in unaided, 17,394 in aided, 639 in Kendriya Vidyalaya, 777 in Social Welfare Department schools and 158 in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya.

Bumper vaccine stock

DHO Dr. Prasad said 36,000 doses of fresh vaccine stock have arrived and the same is supplied to all Government Hospitals and PHCs/ UPHCs. Already, the district had a balance of 4,000 doses and both put together 40,000 doses are released. There is no shortage of vaccine in the district and citizens can go to nearby Government facilities to get them vaccinated. Teachers who have not taken single dose will not be allowed to attend schools, he noted.

Dr. Prasad said testing and vaccination was going hand in hand in district. Testing is planned in crowded places like J.K. Grounds and Devaraja Market where thousands of people flock. Sufficient number of testing centres has been opened across the city. Testing has been intensified in rural areas to detect symptomatic and asymptomatic cases. People with mild symptoms are treated with medicines and those with severe symptoms are advised admission into COVID Care Centres or home isolation, the DHO said.