Muscat – With government schools in Oman reopening for all grades starting Sunday, there was relief but also concern among parents as they prepared to send their children for 100 per cent face-to-face learning after a gap of almost two years.

The Supreme Committee tasked with tackling developments resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed the resumption of direct education for all school grades starting March 6.

Naser al Khaldi, father of four school-going children, said he was ‘nervous’ about full-time school given COVID-19 infections continue. “Schools will now be fully packed but, I do understand the benefit of children going back to school, especially from the mental health perspective. Children will finally be with their friends in school,” he said.

The Supreme Committee’s decision announced last week made face masks optional in open places, while still mandatory in enclosed areas, which doesn’t allay Maryam Abdullah’s fears. A mother of two, she worries students will pack open areas, including school playgrounds. “There will be a lot of kids in open areas with their masks off, which can’t be safe.”

The fact that the Omicron variant infects children is one of the reasons for the reluctance of some parents to send their children to school. “I feel online classes were okay and safe for students,” Maryam added.

Most children infected with the earlier variants came away with mild or no symptoms, but with the new variant, several needed hospitalisation.

At the peak of Omicron infections, many children – from one month to 16 years in age – with chronic diseases were admitted in hospitals. According to Dr Raghad al Abdwani, senior consultant of paediatric intensive care at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, COVID-19 further complicated their condition.

Despite stability in the current situation in the sultanate, it is important to follow COVID-19 protocols, authorities cautioned.

The Ministry of Health announced 485 new COVID-19 infections reported in a 24-hour period on Thursday, taking the total number of cases registered in Oman to 383,874. Two more deaths were reported in this period. The total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the country has now risen to 4,248.