New Delhi: Panic gripped schools in Noida after it was found that the child of a man, who contracted coronavirus in Delhi, studies at the Shriram Millennium School, a private institution in the NCR town.
The school postponed its examinations after it received the information. In a message sent to all parents, school authorities have said the exam scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed until further notice.
“Due to certain unavoidable circumstances, we will be postponing the exams scheduled today. The new dates will be communicated shortly,” reads the message.
“The Board exams will continue as normal. The children of classes 7-11 may come for extra classes if they wish. Class 6 and IGCSE classes will continue with the study leave.”
Two other schools in the NCR — Shiv Nadar school in Noida and The Shriram School, with campuses in Delhi and Gurugram — also decided to shut down.
Shiv Nadar School, which decided to close as a preventive action, will be shut until 9 March.
“In the wake of the worldwide spread of COVID 19 — the coronavirus — and detection of 2 cases in India (1 in Delhi), it has been decided to close the school until the 9th of March in order to sanitise our spaces and completely remove all scope for the further spread of this virus,” the school said in a message sent to parents Tuesday afternoon.
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The Shriram School also shuts down
The Shriram School — with branches in Delhi’s Vasant Vihar and Gurugram — Tuesday evening issued a statement saying they are cancelling events and shutting their campuses temporarily.
“Moving-on ceremony planned for Class 5 students and an outstation trip planned for class 4 and 5 students have been cancelled,” the school said in a statement sent by director, TSRS, Manika Sharma.
The management has decided to shut their Vasant Vihar campus from Thursday, 5 March, as well as two Gurgaon-based campuses — in Mopulsari and Aravali — but from 9 March.
“The holidays will be utilised towards sanitation of the school,” the statement added.
Earlier in the The Shriram School, which has a similar sounding name to that of the Noida institution, had sent a clarification to all parents informing them that the incident was not on their campus.
“This is to inform the PTA that the news of the Coronavirus is true but it’s not in any of the TSRS campuses,” a message Sharma read. “It’s a father from the Millennium school in Noida. All measures and checks are in place. We would like to avoid any panic and misinformation circulating in groups.”
The school had also asked parents not to worry and assured them of maintaining hygiene on campus.
Some parents of the Gurgaon branch had urged school authorities to shut it down for a few days as a preventive measure.
Dheeraj Singh, a parent whose child goes to the Gurgaon branch, said, “I have written to the school to shut down the campus for a few days. Gurgaon is so vulnerable because of the expat population here. Some other parents also share the same view.”
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Hyatt statement
Hyatt Regency in Delhi issued a statement Tuesday evening, confirming that the man who tested positive for coronavirus Monday had dined at one of their restaurants, La Piazza, on 28 February.
The hotel issued an advisory asking the staff who were present in the restaurant that day to self- quarantine.
“All colleagues who were present at the restaurant on February 28, 2020, have been asked to self-quarantine for 14 days. Hyatt Regency Delhi has also started to conduct daily temperature checks for all colleagues and contractors when they enter and exit the building,” said Julian Ayers, Area VP and General Manager, Hyatt Regency Delhi.
Hyatt added that the hotel did not have any confirmed cases to report among its staff but will continue to closely monitor the situation and follow guidelines and protocols.