Experts remind students of precautions before schools open

ISTANBUL

Medical experts have warned both students and parents to comply with COVID-19 precautions and get their vaccinations as authorities have decided to resume full-time face-to-face education in primary-middle-high schools and universities starting Sept. 6.

Ümit Savaşçı, a clinical microbiology specialist from the University of Health Sciences, pointed out that it is vital that students and parents take strict precautions with the reopening of schools.

Noting that there will be high density in schools and on school buses, Savaşçı underlined that the priority should be to vaccinate families in order to protect students.

The expert stated that the second priority is for families to be careful about protective face masks, social distancing rules and hygiene principles, even if they are vaccinated, and to educate their children on this issue.

Reminding that teachers and school administrations will take serious measures, Savaşçı emphasized that school buses carry a risk in this regard, because the shuttles may not produce a solution with empty seats in order not to experience financial loss.

“Children should not eat or drink and should not remove their masks on school buses,” Savaşçı said, adding that windows should be opened safely for ventilation purposes and not air conditioners if possible.

Vaccination for children

Pediatrician Hülya Çarman reminded that Turkey expanded its vaccination campaign to include children at least 12 years old who have a chronic disease.

Çarman suggested that at least the first doses of the vaccines of the children in the group to be vaccinated should be given before the school starts.

Turkey has administered more than 93.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines since launching a mass immunization campaign in January, according to official figures.

Meanwhile, it has been observed that density in the holiday resorts has decreased with only a few days before the opening of the schools.

With a resident population of nearly 50,000 and hosting more than 1 million holidaymakers this year, the Aegean province of İzmir’s district of Çeşme’s beaches began to become more secluded as domestic tourists set off their way back.

Traffic density on intercity roads is expected to increase until Sept. 6.