BAITADI, August 15: Schools have started to resume in municipalities of Baitadi district as the number of cases of COVID-19 infection in some local areas has reached zero. Schools of Melauli Municipality in the district have resumed their classes since July 25 while schools in Shivanath Rural Municipality have announced to reopen from August 18.
According to the health office of the district, the two municipalities don't have any active cases of COVID-19 infection at the moment. Kusma Chand, deputy mayor of Shivanath Rural Municipality, said that the decision to reopen the schools was taken as the shutdown of education institutions for a long period of time due to COVID-19 can have negative impacts on children. The schools have decided to reopen due to the decrease in infection cases and by following and maintaining the safety protocols against COVID-19.
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The rural municipality has also provided 35 schools in the region masks and sanitizers to strengthen the safety measures against COVID-19. Shivanath will become the second municipality in the district to reopen the schools. Also, there are 46 community schools in Melauli Municipality that have been running classes from July 25 by following the health and safety protocols.
Similarly, schools in Patan Municipality-9 of Baitadi have been running classes for their students in their respective localities. The schools have been running classes from Grade one to five in their own areas.
Similarly, other local units inside the district have started making preparations to resume education service as well, Chief of Education Development and Coordination Committee of Baitadi, Narendra Awasthi said. “The central government has allowed the local governments to reopen the schools, depending on the state of COVID-19 infection in their region.” Awasthi said.
There are currently 28 active cases of COVID-19 in Baitadi district. Of them 20 are recorded in Dashrathchand Municipality, two in Patan Rural Municipality, two in Sigas Rural Municipality and one each in Dogdakedar Rural Municipality and Sunarya Rural Municipality. So far 18 people have succumbed to COVID-19 in Baitadi district.
