COVID-19: Sanitiser booths set up in Kerala schools for safety of children

Amidst increasing COVID-19 cases in Kerala, over 300 government and aided schools across the state have got 'sanitiser booths' to ensure the hygiene and safety of students.

The booths — installed at the entrance of each school — are equipped with sensor-integrated automatic machines that will dispense sanitiser to the students and others, official sources said.

The initiative is carried out by the vocational higher secondary education (VHSE) unit of the National Service Scheme (NSS), under the state General Education Department (GED), they added.

As the final year exams are about to begin in state schools, the 'sanitiser booths' are part of extra precautionary measures against the spread of COVID-19 infection among children, a senior NSS official said.

"The machines are installed at 332 government/aided schools across the state, having vocational higher secondary or NSS units. The state Health Department has given us all support for the project," NSS (GED-VHSE) Programme Coordinator Ranjith P said.

Being automatic machines, children need not touch to get the medicinal liquid to sanitise their hands.

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In many schools, the NSS programme officers bought the machines and installed them with the support of volunteers. Each machine, which will function with both electricity and battery, costs at least Rs 1,500, he said.

However, students themselves have made the machines in those vocational higher secondary schools where electronics is a subject.

"At least 42 percent of automatic machines are built by our children," the official added.

Schools, which remained closed since the coronavirus outbreak last year, have been functioning since January 1 for 10th and 12th standards, with limited hours and a restricted number of students.

As of February 2021, about 1.06 million positives cases and over 4500 deaths have been reported in Kerala.

(Disclaimer: Additional background information has been added to this PTI copy for context)