THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
School students in Kerala will have to have understanding and behaviour changes by following health and hygiene guidelines. This will not only assist to go forward to overcome COVID19 but also overall other health issues.
“Not that the habit of covering one’s nose and mouth will go on endlessly. But, as an act of precaution and in the light of our experience about guarding against the virus, indications are that children will need to wear masks in the next academic session,” K K Shailaja, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, noted at an online media interaction on the technical aspects of the COVID19 pandemic.
Already, wearing masks has become the norm for school students in several countries, the minister pointed out. “It’s a good culture. We will have to follow it in Kerala as well if COVID-19 prevails till the time of school reopening .”
The virus, Shailaja noted, is unlikely to subside in the near future. “Masks have helped us bring down the rate of the spread of COVID-19 and its resultant deaths. Kerala has been battling the disease, earning good results,” she said in response to a journalist’s listed question. “Even so, we cannot right now guarantee a complete check on the virus as it depends on each and every one following the basic things such as hand wash, social distancing and remaining isolated if flue like symptoms are noticed.
Noting that unusual situations force humanity to take unusual steps, Shailaja said COVID-19 has taught society the benefits of wearing masks. “Even otherwise, we need to inculcate certain habits for hygiene. For instance, we should be covering our mouth with a kerchief when we sneeze during common cold or fever. Not all of us follow it. Such things have to change,” she added.
“Let us work together and show all that collective action by all of us together will lead to overcome COVID-19 crisis,” she concluded.
Present, among others, at the interaction here were Health and Family Welfare Principal Secretary Dr Rajan Khobragade, NHM -Kerala Director Dr Rathan Kelkar, Dr Navjot Khosa MD KMSCL and neurosurgeon Dr B Ekbal, who heads the Expert Group and Dr Santhosh Kumar Chairman State Medical Board that advises the government on prevention of the coronavirus.
