11 teachers test positive in Jalandhar district

Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, November 27

One teacher has died and 11 tested positive for Covid after the schools reopened in the district on October 19. A 57-year-old teacher of Government Senior Secondary School, Lambra, lost her life to Covid on Thursday night.

812 fresh cases, 28 fatalities in a day

• The state reported 812 cases and 28 deaths in the past 24 hours. As per a government bulletin released on Friday, the total cases have reached 1,50,086 and deaths 4,737
• At present, 149 patients are on oxygen support and 19 on ventilator. Jalandhar recorded a maximum of 159 cases, while Amritsar reported seven deaths

The pandemic has impacted five schools in the district. While five teachers tested positive and one lost life at Government Senior Secondary School, Lambra, four schools in the Phillaur block have Covid-positive staff. A worker at Lambra school has also tested positive. Two teachers from Government Senior Secondary School, Moron; two at Government Senior Secondary School, Dayalpur; and one each at Government Senior Secondary School, Bharsinghpura and Phillaur, have tested positive.

With the Covid scenario escalating in the district, the Government School Teachers’ Union has demanded that the three-hour limit for teachers to be present at the school be strictly implemented as many principals were calling teachers at their whims and making them stay long hours and attend meetings even when attendance at school was low.

Despite two teachers and one worker having tested positive, the Lambra school resumed work after staying closed for three days.

Sources in the village said, “Villagers have started referring to the school as ‘Covid spreader’. Teachers are constantly testing positive and one of them even died. Tests shall be conducted at the school tomorrow again. When recurring Covid cases are coming from the school, the entire staff should be sent to 14-day quarantine. But the teachers are still coming.”

While teachers had initially been anticipating a three-hour work session after schools opened, many said principals were forcing them to stay put for five to six hours.

Karnail Phillaur of the Government School Teachers’ Union said, “One of the teachers had died and 11tested positive. Parents are asked to write they shall be responsible if their children tested positive. What about teachers?”

Harinder Pal, DEO (Secondary), said, “All schools are calling teachers as per the protocol. It is the principal’s prerogative to call teachers and it’s also necessary in view of the ongoing PTMs. All government offices are open. We are also conducting free testing of our teachers. Eleven teachers have tested positive, but all protocols and precautions are being taken. Some teachers also picked up Covid at home.”