Bhopal: A teacher from Hamidia Government School, Phool Mahal, tested Covid-positive on Saturday, a day after opening of schools for regular classes for students of Classes X and XII.
The news came as a shock for most of the teachers and infection control protocol, including contact tracing, started at the school. District education officer (DEO) Nitin Saxena said there was no need to panic. “Contingencies for such scenarios have been planned in detailed. The teacher who tested positive did not visit the school on Friday,” he added.
Super-spreaders
The infection rate in children of school-going age has hovered around 5% in the state capital. It peaked to about 10% after reopening after the pandemic lockdown around July. Children per se are considered less venerable to the infection, but can be super-spreaders, according to medical experts.
Bhopal chief medical and health officer (CMHO) Dr Prabhakar Tiwari said that standard guidelines would be followed in the matter. Guidelines include preventing the spread of Covid-19. Contacts of Covid-19 patients would be categorised into high and low-risk. Those with high-risk exposure are to be quarantined for a week. Low-risk exposure contacts shall continue to work and closely monitor their health for the next 14 days.
