Indian Academy of Pediatrics Revised Guidelines on School Reopening: First Revision, September 2021

Abstract

Justification: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected schooling for more than 24 crores students, since March 2020. Students need a respite from the long standing social isolation so that they regain their chance to develop holistically, but after the devastating effects of the second wave, the administrators as well as parents are skeptical about the decision of school reopening.

Process: The Indian Academy of Pediatrics constituted a task force comprising of national and international experts in the field who deliberated on the issue.

Objectives: To bring out scientifically supported guidelines on the prerequisites of opening and attending the schools, in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recommendations: The task force recommends i) Decentralization of the school reopening decision; ii)Three epidemiological parameters, case positivity rate (<5 or steadily declining number of cases for past two weeks), number of new cases(<20 per lakh population per day for past two weeks) and vaccination coverage (>60% of the vaccine-eligible population) to be met at the local level, before the schools reopen; and iii) Criteria regarding health and vaccination to be met by the schoolattendees.