The Delhi High Court on Tuesday rejected a petition against the full physical reopening of schools in the Capital in view of the concerns surrounding the spread of COVID-19.
A Bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla said, “Children are losing more by not attending school. There is no data to say that children are at a high risk of either contracting COVID or getting severe COVID”.
Expert opinion
The Bench dismissed the petition, by lawyer Anand Kumar Pandey, saying that a plea cannot be entertained in the absence of any expert opinion, simply on the basis of the petitioner’s apprehension. “There is nothing to show that right to life is endangered,” it added.
Mr. Pandey sought a direction to the Delhi government to recall the decision on 100 per cent physical reopening of schools with effect from April 1 until all school-going children are completely vaccinated.
Psychological impact
The High Court observed that there are studies to show the psychological impact of absence from school on children as they have not been able to develop their social, behavioural and interpersonal skills.
Mr. Pandey argued that right to life was of utmost importance and the consent of the parents should be made mandatory to restart physical classes for children.
The petition stated that if physical classes are permitted for children aged 4-12 years and 12-14 years without any preparation and vaccination, there would be “catastrophic spread” of COVID-19 infection among children.
