Covid in UAE: Parents to use remote learning period to vaccinate children

The surge of Covid-19 cases fuelled by the Omicron variant vexes parents as every encounter seems risky.

Private school parents in Abu Dhabi will use the current remote learning period to vaccinate their children against Covid-19 to boost their immune systems and protect their health before returning to school campuses for physical learning.

All Abu Dhabi schools resumed the second term with remote learning from Monday, January 3. The online classes are expected to continue for two weeks following an earlier announcement by the Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee as a "precautionary measure" to limit the spread of Covid-19 and maintain low infection rates in the emirate.

Egyptian parent Ahmed Mubarak, whose two boys aged 7 and 9 attend a private school in Abu Dhabi, says he had been reluctant to take his kids for vaccination during the recent school break due to his busy schedule.

"I am now planning to use this remote learning period to get my boys vaccinated, so they are safe by the time in-class lessons resume," he said.

"We would like to have our children return to physical learning so they can interact directly with their teachers and play with their friends at school."

Another parent, John Mathew, a Filipino expat, says he has scheduled an appointment next week so that his 10-year-old daughter can be vaccinated before schools switch to face-to-face learning.

"I believe the only way to have our children safe when they return to physical learning is to vaccinate them against Covid-19," he said.

"Schools also have to adhere to the precautionary measures when children return to campuses for in-class lessons."

Indian father, Rajeev Pravin, says he will take advantage of the remote learning period to ensure his children get the jab.

"My 14-year-old daughter received both doses of the vaccine. But her siblings aged 5 and 7 are yet to be vaccinated," he said.

"I will take them for vaccination early next week to be safe from the virus. We have been told about the importance of having our kids vaccinated before they return to school for physical learning."

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Many Abu Dhabi schools had sent out messages to parents stressing the importance of vaccinating children against the Coronavirus, as schools that have 85 per cent of their students vaccinated will be able to return to physical learning based on the "Blue Schools initiative".

The Blue Schools Initiative rolled out by the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (Adek) recognises vaccination as a critical path to recovery and encourages immunisation of all students, increasing their protection against Covid-19 and minimising the impact of possible infections.

Earlier, education regulators said schools will be tiered based on student vaccination rates. Schools with more students vaccinated will be able to gradually relax measures, including reduced social distancing requirements, relaxed mask-wearing protocols, increased classroom and school transport capacity, and a return to extra-curricular activities, in-school events and field trips.

The four tiers are: 'Orange' for schools with less than 50 per cent of students vaccinated, 'Yellow' for schools with 50-60 per cent of students vaccinated, 'Green' for schools with 65-84 per cent of students vaccinated and 'Blue' for schools with 85 per cent and above students vaccinated.

• UAE