By Muhammad Omar Iftikhar
The decision was taken by the Federal Minister of Education to close educational institutes across Pakistan from November 26, 2020, to January 10, 2011. With the second wave of Covid-19 stronger than its predecessor, children are again more vulnerable. Moreover, the winter season tends to accentuate the strength of any virus. Precautionary and preventive measures to be taken in this regard is of the highest priority. With the Learning Management System (LMS) and an online mechanism already in place and functional in schools, colleges, and universities; the educational institutes can continue with online teaching. This was a result of the efforts educational institutes had put in to create an online learning mechanism when the first lockdown was implemented across Karachi in March 2020. The second phase of the lockdown of educational institutes will also include winter vacations from December 25, 2020, to January 10, 2021, as stated by the Federal Ministry during a press conference on November 23, 2020. Parents need to keep a strict eye on their children. If the educational institutes are closed, then the children must stay at home and not roam around the neighborhood with friends on foot or on bicycles. Parents and elders must not take children to the market or parks. The safety of all children is of the utmost importance. Special care must be taken to prevent them from touching surfaces. Parents must keep the interior of their homes clean and properly sanitized. The maid coming to work at home must also be sanitized. Parents and elders returning from the office should keep their clothes separately and put their shoes outside in the open. We can protect ourselves from Covid-19 by actively pursuing precautionary measures.