Educational institutions asked to intensify disease prevention measures in Erode district

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

The Erode district administration has directed all educational institutions to intensify disease prevention measures in view of the reported spread of fever, dengue and influenza-like illnesses and the onset of the northeast monsoon.

A release from Collector S. Kandasamy said institutions have been instructed to clean and chlorinate overhead and ground-level water tanks immediately and thereafter once a week, with the dates recorded. RO water filters should be cleaned regularly and drinking water provided must be boiled and cooled, treated through RO systems or chlorinated.

Toilets and urinals should be cleaned twice daily using phenyl or bleaching powder. Separate toilet facilities with adequate water, doors and lighting should be provided for male and female students and staff. Soap and hand-washing facilities should be available near toilets, noon-meal and canteen areas.

As part of dengue prevention, Saturdays should be observed as ‘Dry Days’ and containers that can hold water, including discarded buckets, tyres, coconut shells and flower pots, removed. Campuses, terraces and playgrounds should be kept free of stagnant water, while bushes and weeds should be cleared and proper drainage ensured. Fogging should be undertaken once every 15 days and construction sites checked for mosquito-breeding sources.

The administration has also directed institutions to segregate and dispose of solid waste daily and prevent open dumping and burning. The sale of cut fruits, unhygienic food and expired packaged food should be prevented.

Parents should be informed if students or staff develop symptoms such as fever, skin rashes, vomiting, diarrhoea, red eyes, cough, cold or body pain. If several students in a class develop similar symptoms, the nearest health facility and Health Department should be informed. Surprise inspections by Education, Health and local body officials are being conducted, the release added.

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.