ICMR recommend a new arrangement for the reopening of schools.

Prioritizing junior classes, the top medical body of India suggested the reopening of schools with multi-layered mitigation measures.

According to a report published by the Indian Journal of Medical Research, the experts have referred to a UNESCO study that estimated the shutting of academies for more than 500 days would affect around a population of 320 million children.

It also stated that going back to the education system to what it was in pre-Covid times would appear circumspect in the Indian context. 

Authored by Tanu Anand, Balagram Bhargava, and Samiran Panda, the report states that schools’ reopening would depend on the state and district statistics on earlier waves of infection and adult vaccination coverage, projecting the third wave.

Further, the article mentioned that children aged 1-17 years might have less risk than an adult for mortality or severity, but they have similar acceptance to a mild form of SARS-CoV-2 as in adults.

Regular testing of school staff is an essential step, whereas schools should avoid daily temperature and symptoms checks due to limited evidence on their utility19 as per the author’s advocation.

The report underlined that even after receiving vaccination jabs, those faculties attaining involvement with the students should have a compulsion to wear a mask.

The earlier evidence telecasted that children above 12 have a higher risk of contracting infection than the young ones, prioritizing their jabs first.  

In the speech at United Nations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi indicated that the nation had developed the world first DNA vaccine availed by anyone above 12, Zydus Cardila’s three-dose COVID-19 DNA vaccine. The vaccine is dated to be approved by the DCGA in the last month.

The experts recommended that wearing of mask only have a compulsion when the student is 18 or above.

Students under five are not advisable to wear the mask, whereas students aged 6-11 can wear it according to their health condition. 

There should also be noted for schools to provide well ventilated with the addition of air conditioner, strict rules like no sharing of meals and spending long hours in canteens or any other public area. The recommendation of exhaust fans is necessary to curb the infection. 

They confirmed, according to global evidence proposes schools as ‘non-drivers’ of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Current situation of Vaccination for Kids

Currently, Pfizer is in the headlines for its COVID-19 vaccine for kids. The company states its research submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, dating its availability after November. 

The drugmaker and its partner, Germany’s BioNTech, stated their expectation to request emergency use authorization of their vaccine in children ages 5 to 11 in the coming weeks. Still, the process seems to survive until Thanksgiving.

They also informed to make plans for submission of their data to other regulators like the Medicines Agency.

They also confirm their testing of a lower dose of the shots in children. Apart from that, the drugmaker started their researcher’s foundation of the vaccine developed coronavirus-fighting antibody levels in children last week.

The results were as powerful as those found in teenagers and young adults getting regular-strength doses.

Similar U.S. vaccine maker Moderna is also studying shots in elementary school-aged children, whose results expectancy is next year.