The Scottish Church College authorities are holding their on-campus administrative meetings on the lawns instead of gathering at the principal’s chamber as a precaution against Covid.
The education department while announcing the closure of all on-campus academic activities from January 3 following the latest spike of cases, had said that administrative departments of the colleges/ universities like the office of the vice-chancellor, principals will remain open as per the local need, to be decided by the head of the respective institute.
Madhumanjari Mandal, the principal of the college, said they are holding meetings of the internal management committee thrice a week on the lawn.
“Assembly in a closed facility like the principal’s chamber could pose health risks. An open space ensures air circulation lessening the scope of infection,” the principal said.
The members of the committee include the principal, the vice principal, bursar, internal quality assurance coordinator, senatus secretary and teachers’ council secretary.
The committee meets to take stock of whether the online classes are being run smoothly, fix the schedule of the online classes and examination, clear the bills of the vendors and discharge other administrative responsibilities.
Principal Madhumanjari Mandal said, during the previous shutdown of the campuses from March 2020 to November 2021, such meetings were held at the principal’s chamber, maintaining safe distance.
The fear of the omicron variant has brought about the change.
“The transmissibility rate of the omicron variant is much more severe. We thought that holding meetings in the open space would ensure precaution,” she told Metro.
An official of the education department said that in some situations, especially in enclosed spaces with poor ventilation, Covid-19 virus can spread when a person is exposed to small droplets or aerosols that stay in the air for minutes to hours.
“When you stay outside, fresh air is constantly moving, dispersing these droplets. So you are less likely to breathe in enough of the respiratory droplets containing the virus. Besides, since the transmissibility of the latest variant is immense, using open air-facility is advisable,” he said.
Public health expert Dr Abhijit Chowdhury, who is a member of the global advisory board constituted by the state in view of the pandemic, welcomed the initiative to hold open-air meetings.
“Open-air facilities that ensure unhindered air circulation lessen the threat of infection. We have to start taking baby steps so that we can carry out our activities as much as possible following the safety protocols,” he said.
In October the Presidency University libraries’ book exchange had been shifted to an open space as assembly in a closed facility like the central and arts libraries could pose health risks.
Students were going to the foyer outside Derozio Bhavan that has big open windows and doors to collect and deposit books according to slots allotted online.
The service has been paused following closure of the campus.