The all-essential back-to-school checklist for parents

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about sea changes in the way we live and learn. The change in the education sector among others is particularly visible with schools remaining shut for months and classes being continued through the virtual mode. The Delhi government reopened its schools for classes XI to XII amidst quite a few newer threats: Omicron virus that spreads pretty fast, severely cold weather (recently, a yellow alert had been issued) and rise in air pollution across the NCR region. 

This has naturally raised concerns among parents about the health and safety of their kids. However, they also realize that it’s high time to pull their kids out of the comfort of homes and help them swing back to the normal flow of life. This is necessary to ensure the academic progress and overall well-being of students. Nevertheless, take a look at our checklist before sending your kids back to school in order to make sure that their health isn’t compromised.  

Is your child’s school maintaining Covid-19/Omicron safety protocols? 
Before sending kids back to school, review the school’s capacity to ensure safety measures for students. Ask the schools to share the permission documents issued by the inspection team. If the inspection reports suggest that the school is prepared for physical classes and the premises are well sanitized and the entire staff is fully vaccinated, then there’s no reason to stop the kids from going back to their alma maters. Moreover, school authorities should ensure that other safety protocols are strictly followed, and those without vaccination, be it parents or other visitors, are not allowed inside the premises. The schools should also voluntarily provide weekly sanitation reports to parents to reduce their anxiety. Regular communication and virtual tour of the schools should be made mandatory.  

Is your child aware of the necessary protocols? 
Prepare the kids so that they are responsible for their own safety. They already know about the dangers of deadly viruses like COVID-19 and Omicron. So, educating them about the safety protocols once again shouldn’t be that hard. Make them realize that failure to follow safety instructions could make them, their friends and even their family susceptible to infections. Preparing them to take care of their own hygiene and answering all their queries over and over again, are necessary.  

Is your child prepared for the bad weather and pollution? 
Apart from Covid-19 and Omicron, the fear of being exposed to the bad weather and rising levels of air pollution continues to exist. This is why preparing kids to protect themselves from these unavoidable instances is vital. Explain to them that masks are not only necessary to beat COVID-19 or the brand-new Omicron, but also to stay safe from uncontrollable air pollution. Warn them that the drop in temperatures could also affect their health. Hence, they should always take necessary precautions to beat the cold. Cover them well, especially their ears and noses.  

Are the essential health parameters of your child alright? 
Keeping the youngsters’ health under close and constant observation is highly essential. Children could be exposed to common cold or viral fever due to the bad weather. Ignoring such health issues will not only impact them but also other students and school staff. It might even lead to closing of schools once again. Therefore, keeping a close eye on your kids’ health is of utmost importance. 

Does the school have a competent medical team in the premises? 
Schools should have a medical team present during the school hours for any health-related emergency. Even if students feel the slightest of discomfort, they should be separated from their peers and escorted to the medical room for immediate attention. Adequate medical resources should also be available. Pediatric medicines, isolation booths, masks, and sanitizers are the basics.