Children more vulnerable & needs to stay home, physical classes for them may be discontinued, hints CM Assam

Jan. 5: With the onset of Omicron in Assam, the state machinery has yet again seems to be in a war mode to prevent the further spread of this new variant. Moreover, there has been a major spike in the number of daily coronavirus cases in the state. Assam registered a total of 591 Covid positive cases on Wednesday along with 4 deaths. In this backdrop, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma while speaking to the media stated that the state government would put stringent measures in place once the daily cases touch the 1000-mark.

In such cases, the Chief Minister said that his government would try to strike a balance between life and livelihood. That means the state government is in no mood of declaring complete lockdown this time. The CM, however, indicated that the curfew timings may be advanced and restrictions on public gatherings will also be imposed. People would again need to wear face masks. He also said that the children will be more vulnerable to the Omicron variant of Covid-19. Children, he added, throughout the world are more infected by Omicron.

Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma further stated that adults who are vaccinated would not be so much vulnerable to Omicron variant. “This time our main strategy will be to ensure that the children stays at home and the adults should go for work provided they have taken the jab. Till now, almost 60,000,00 people have not taken the 2nd dose of Covid vaccine. From tomorrow, we will be in a mission mode so that within the next 20 to 25 days, the process of vaccination gets completed. We are also trying to vaccinate those in the age group of 15 to years. We will provide them all the 1st dose in January and try to administer the 2nd dose in February so that the students of IX, X, XI & XII does not face much problem in attending schools and colleges and also appear for their examinations. This is our preliminary planning.”

As the Chief Minister have stressed upon the issue of attending schools by students of IX, X, XI & XII who would be vaccinated being in the age group of 15 to 18 years, it is probably a hint that children below 15 years of age, who are outside the scheme of vaccination would be asked to stay at home and continue their classes in online mode. This would mean that physical or offline classes of children below 15 years is likely to get discontinued in the state. The Chief Minister would chair a special review meeting of the Covid situation in the state on Thursday, wherein the future course of action would be determined.