Around 5,000 teachers unvaccinated in Kerala

Nearly a month after schools in Kerala reopened, around 5,000 school teachers are yet to take the Covid-19 vaccine.

The state government had given adequate time and made arrangements for the teachers to get vaccinated before schools reopened on November 1.

Education Minister V Sivankutty told reporters on Sunday that as per the available information around 5,000 teachers are yet to take the vaccine.

Also Read | Uninoculated teaching, non-teaching staff can't be allowed in schools, says Kerala Education Minister

Interestingly, the minister had earlier stated that only around 2,300 teachers have not been vaccinated.

Sources said while many teachers did not take vaccines due to genuine medical reasons, there is a section that has not taken vaccines citing religious reasons.

Strict instructions

He said the state government will issue strict instructions.

Meanwhile, health department sources said that no noticeable increase in Covid infection among students were found. But the chances of children being asymptomatic cannot be ruled out. 

Only further seroprevalence study would give a clear picture in this regard.

Earlier seroprevalence study had found seropositivity in around 40 per cent of students in the 5 to 17 age group.

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