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Tuesday 10 November 2020

Standing Operating procedure along with IEC/BCC protocols while ferrying school going children using school buses/autorickshaws - Orders

Transport, Roads & Buildings Department -Containment, Control, and Prevention of COVID - 19 Epidemic - Standing Operating procedure along with IEC/BCC protocols while ferrying school going children using school buses/autorickshaws - Orders - Issued  G.O.RT.No. 360  Dated: 09-11-2020. 

Read the following:-  

1. G.O.Rt.No.216, School Education (Prog.II) Dept., Dt:01.11.0202. 
2. From Transport Commissioner, AP, Vijayawada Lr.No.17021/14/ 2020, Dt:04.11.2020 

ORDER:        

In the G.O. 1st read above, Government have issued  certain instructions on Re-opening of  Schools  and  Learning with  Physical/Social Distancing- Standard Operating  Procedure(SOP) for Health and Safety protocols to be followed in all schools functioning under all managements for the academic year 2020-21 and requested the Commissioner, Transport, Andhra Pradesh to issue a detailed  Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) along with IEC/BCC Protocols while ferrying school going children using school buses / auto rickshaws immediately.  

In the letter 2nd read above, the Transport Commissioner, Vijayawada has submitted the Standing Operating procedure along with  IEC/BCC  protocols while ferrying school going children using school buses/autorickshaws to be followed as a result of re-opening of Educational institutions from 02.11.2020. The Standard Operating Procedure was prepared in consultation with Director, School Education, A.P.  

After examination of the SOP, Govt. hereby order to implement the Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) along with IEC/BCC Protocols while ferrying school going children using school buses / auto rickshaws for prevention of spread of COVID – in Andhra Pradesh, which are Annexed to this order.  

Therefore, the Transport Commissioner, Vijayawada is requested to strictly implement the Standard Operating Procedure along with IEC/BCC Protocols for prevention of spread of COVID. 

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES ALONG WITH  IEC/BCC FERRYING  SCHOOL  GOING  CHILDREN USING  PROTOCOL’S  WHILE  SCHOOL  BUSES /  AUTORICKSHAWS 

School  management shall  encourage students  to walk  or bike  to school  or catch rides with their parents/  guardians. In  cases where students are being  ferrying using school buses following guidelines  shall  be  followed School bus  maintenance : 

1. School  buses shall  be  disinfected 1 hour before  embarking  in  the  morning and after disembarking  in the afternoon. Regular disinfection of equipment such as turnstiles,  handrails,  steering wheel dashboard, arm  rests, head restraints etc,.  with 1%  sodium  hypo chlorite solution  / disinfectants shall be  done. 

2. The  school  bus shall be  equipped with  high-efficiency particulate  air (HEPA) filters, as they could  potentially help  reduce the transmission  of  the coronavirus. 

3. Markings shall be  affixed  /  painted on  seats to show students where to sit ensuring one student only  shall  occupy  in  each row of seats.  While  seating there shall be a seat gap between two students at any period of time during the entire  journey. 

4. Plexiglass barriers shall be  installed around  drivers seat separating driver from students. 

5. Windows shall  be kept open and air conditioning shall  not be used in  order to maximise the ventilation. 

6. Assign attendant to enforce social  distancing  in  the  bus during  ride  and to  Keep students logs to enable contact tracing  if someone test positive  for COVID 19 

7. It is  advisable to assign single  driver to same  bus and same  routes to minimise groups of  people  mingling. Route  map shall  be  displayed  in  the  bus. 

8. Posters of COVID appropriate behaviour  shall be affixed  inside the vehicle and out side the vehicle at  conspicuous  places. 

Measures to be taken  while transportation  of  students in school buses: 

1. Parents and carers must be advised that  students must not board school  buses if  they,  or a member of  their household,  has symptoms  of coronavirus  (COVID-19). 

2. All  students must wear  masks and face  Shields.  

 3. Screening shall  be  done  before  boarding the  bus by way of  thermal  screening or asking  symptom based  questionnaire. 

4.Students shall  board the vehicles only  after hand  sanitisation.

5. Appropriate  queuing or other arrangements shall  be followed while picking up and dropping off students to  ensure  they  are  able  maintain  distancing  when  waiting for,  boarding  and  alighting  from school  bus.  only  one person at a  time  shall be allowed  to enter the bus in  a queue duly  maintaining  6  feet distance between successive students. 

6. “First  in,  last  out ” principle  shall  be followed  with those children getting on first seated at the  rear of the bus so  that the bus  is  filled from the back to the  front  in  the mornings and,  on the return  journey from  school,  each student returns to the same  seat that they  used  in  the  morning

 7. Students should  not stand up or move around on the  vehicle. 

8. School management / parents shall train students on “good respiratory hygiene” . Students should be encouraged to carry tissues and disposed off in a covered bin.  

9. Drivers and Attendants should wear the gloves along with the face mask and face shield. 

 10. Drivers and Attendants should use alcohol hand rub or sanitiser at intervals throughout the journey, and should always do so after performing tasks such as helping a child into the vehicle or handling a child’s belongings.  

11. Luggage shall be allowed to be kept in luggage carriers only after Sanitisation and proper spacing shall be maintained.

Students travelling in Auto Rickshaws:  

1. School management/ Parents committee shall see that the Autorickshaws which are being used for transporting students shall maintain COVID appropriate behaviour while picking up and dropping off students to ensure they are able maintain distancing when waiting for, boarding and alighting from Autorickshaws.  

2. Transparent Plexi (sheet) shall be installed between driver and students  

3. Auto Rickshaws driver shall ensure that Students carrying Autorickshaws are properly sanitised before successive trips with 1% sodium hypochlorite spray. All the surfaces frequently touched  in  the  Auto Rickshaw shall be sanitised before and after journey to ensure safety.  

4. Auto driver shall use face mask and face shield invariably 

5. Avoid students sitting face to face with each other. 

6. Students with face masks only shall be allowed 

7. Sanitiser dispenser shall be placed in the vehicle. Students shall be allowed only after hand sanitisation.  

8. Occupancy shall be restricted to 3 students in order to achieve distancing 

9. Student log shall be maintained by the Auto Rickshaws driver to enable contact tracing if someone test positive for COVID 19. 

Download G.O.RT.No. 360  Dated: 09-11-2020

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