School reopening news: IMA president Dr JA Jayalal makes BIG statement as schools reopen in some states

Amid declining COVID-19 cases in the country, Indian Medical Association (IMA) president Dr JA Jayalal said on Tuesday (August 31) that the coronavirus risk is quite negligible at the moment and it is the right time for the government to reopen the schools. 

“Considering possibility of spread, the risk is quite negligible at this moment unless some very catastrophic events take place. It’s the right time when government should come forward and take a calculated risk and open the schools in an appropriate way,” he told news agency ANI.

“This is a positive move but strict protocol needs to be followed. This is a very complex decision which has to be taken. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been issued by the various state governments. All the teachers and the staff who are working in the school should be vaccinated and there should not be more than 20 to 30 students in a class,” Dr Jayalal was quoted as saying.

“So, I think though this is an experiment that really we are trying. This is worth doing. Considering the possibility of spread, the risk is quite negligible at this moment unless something very catastrophic events taking place. This is the right time when government should come forward, take a calculated risk and open the schools in an appropriate way,” he said. 

According to Dr Jayalal, IMA is studying the reports related to the COVID-19 cases after the reopening of schools. “We do get some reports from states, we are studying them. But whether it (spike in COVID-19 cases) is exclusively due to the opening of schools is not very well established,” he said.