Days after reopening, 3 teachers, 3 students test positive for COVID

At least three school teachers and three students have been tested positive for COVID-19 in the State after schools reopened for Classes 9 to 12 in Tamil Nadu, said Health Minister Ma Subramanian in New Delhi on Friday adding that contract tracing will be done for each of them to prevent any further outbreaks. He also said the State government will urge the Union Government to allow COVID-19 vaccination for children above 12 years of age.

A secondary grade teacher attached to a government school in Cuddalore, who had taken both the doses, were among teachers to contract the virus.

In Ariyalur, two school students have tested positive and are now under medical observation. After physical classes resumed on Wednesday, the students were subjected to thermo scanning. A girl student from a private school had a high temperature and so she was isolated and blood samples were taken for the COVID test. On Friday, the results confirmed her contracting the virus.

At Andimadam in Ariyalur district also, a Class 12 girl student of a private school tested positive for COVID and she has been admitted to Jayankondam GH for treatment.

Meanwhile, a Class 10 girl student in Namakkal, who was attending the class since the school reopened on September 1, has been isolated after testing positive. She was studying at the Government HSS in Manikkampalayam near Elachipalayam.

Health officials have collected swabs from other students and teachers, who were in contact with her for testing.

In Coimbatore also, where COVID numbers are on the rise, the Health officials are on alert about the virus spreading among students. “No clusters have been reported either in educational institutions or others. But we couldn’t arrive at a reason for the increasing trend. Students from Kerala studying in institutions in Coimbatore are only attending classes online. Our teams were also deputed to collect random samples in schools and colleges as a precaution,” said a senior health official.