Some parents are sending their children to school in full sleeves or leggings to protect them from mosquito bites, a caution triggered by a sharp rise in the number of dengue cases across the city and its adjoining areas.
Schools, on their part, are offering relaxations and allowing children to wear winter uniforms that fully cover their hands and legs.
The instruction across campuses is to keep the premises clean and not allow water to stagnate anywhere. Mosquitoes — especially the variety that transmits the dengue virus, Aedes aegypti — can breed even in spoonful of water.
“The students who want to come in full sleeves are being allowed to do so. We have received some applications (for permission to wear full sleeves to school) and we are allowing them to,” said Amita Prasad, director of Indus Valley World School.
On several campuses, mostly children in pre-primary and primary classes are coming fully covered. Some students are wearing leggings underneath the skirts.
“Since it is exam time, parents are being extra cautious,” said a teacher. There are schools where a few cases of dengue have been reported.
“We have to focus on cleanliness, along with the Covid protocol. In the last two years, there was stress only on the Covid protocol and regular sanitisation of the premises,” said John Bagul, principal, South City International School.
“There is a lowland outside the school and during the monsoon water accumulates there. We are trying to ensure that water doesn’t stagnate there,” said Madhumita Seal, vice-principal, BDM International.