Compulsory thermal screening, staggered lunch breaks, have been listed in the standard operating procedures for Delhi’s schools, which are set to reopen from Tuesday, PTI reported. The Disaster Management Authority issued an order in this regard.

Students of Classes 9 to 12 will be allowed to go to schools. Colleges and coaching institutions will also be allowed to operate from Tuesday, and will follow the same coronavirus protocol.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led government on Friday announced that the schools should reopen as the Covid-19 situation in the national Capital has had a significant improvement.

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On Monday morning, data from the Union health ministry showed that 392 Covid-19 patients were still being treated in the city, a total of 14,12,244 residents have recovered, and the toll stood at 25,080.

“Schools and colleges should prepare a timetable as per occupancy limit of classrooms following Covid norms,” the Delhi Disaster Management Authority said, according to PTI.

Here are the rules:

  1. A maximum of 50% students can be allowed in each classroom of the schools. An alternative seating arrangement should be implemented in all classes.
  2. Students, teachers, and other members of the staff who reside in Covid-19 containment zones would not be allowed entry in the schools and colleges.
  3. The schools may stagger their schedules in order to prevent crowding in classrooms or at entry and exit points.
  4. Lunch breaks could also be scheduled in a staggered manner, and should preferably be held in open areas as students will remove their masks to eat.
  5. The government said that the schools, which have been operating as vaccination centres and were being used for the distribution of ration, will continue these activities. The disaster management authority said that the space used for these activities should be separate.
  6. Schools have been advised to make sure that a room for quarantine purposes is available in case of emergencies. 
  7. Routine guest visits to the institutions should be discouraged under the new guidelines.
  8. The institutes should ensure that the common spaces used by children should be cleaned regularly, reported NDTV. Soap and water should be available in all the toilets, and schools should ensure availability of thermal scanners, hand sanitisers and masks inside the premises.
  9. The heads of schools have also been asked to make sure that all members of the staff are vaccinated.