Sisodia Issues Clarification On ‘Closure’ Guidelines For Schools Amid COVID Spike

New Delhi: Issuing a clarification on the guidelines issued to schools amid a rise in COVID-19 in the national capital, Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia on Friday said that only a specific wing or classrooms where a case has been detected should be shut temporarily.

“We haven’t asked them to close schools. Our guidelines say that only a specific wing or classroom where someone was found COVID positive should be temporarily closed,” said Sisodia.

He further said that schools can decide to close the entire premises in specific cases where an infected child or staff has been through multiple areas of the school.

The deputy CM added that the COVID situation in the national capital will be reviewed in the next DDMA meeting.

Notably, the advisory was issued on Thursday after a teacher and a student of a private school in South Delhi were found COVID positive.  The schools were then directed to close the entire premises or specific wings temporarily if any student or staff tests positive for the virus.

The advisory further said that students and staff must wear masks and maintain social distancing.

On Thursday, Delhi reported 325 new cases in the last 24 hours with a case positivity rate of 2.39 per cent.

Offline classes had resumed in Delhi from April 1 after all the curbs related to COVID were lifted on February 28, considering the low positivity rate.