SMIMS all set to bring back the students to its campus

GANGTOK,: The current Covid-19 pandemic has made a lot of things uncertain, complex and fragile, and education sector is perhaps the sector that has had the hardest time coming to terms with the new normal.
After months of virtual learning, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences (SMIMS) under Sikkim Manipal University (SMU) is welcoming back the medical students to its campus.
Currently, 100 students are already back at their hostel accommodation from the 2019 and 2016 batches, and the process of getting all the students back shall continue throughout December and January 2021, informs a SMU press release.
SMIMS dean Dr. V.K. Mehta and the dedicated faculty team members of SMIMS said ‘a home away from home’ is the standard set at the accommodation sites. “The top priority of SMIMS is the health and safety of our students, and that we are closely monitoring the health of every student in the campus and adhering to all public health regulations set by the State and the Government of India.  As part of this initiative, SMIMS has set up NABL accredited Covid-19 antigen testing molecular lab recently making it the second lab in the State of Sikkim apart from the government Covid testing labs. The newly inaugurated molecular labs at SMIMS also the capacity to test for HIV virus and other such grave illness,” said Dr. Mehta.
Apart from the molecular testing lab, different signage boards are posted at the entrance of all common rooms, student spaces and elevators to ensure safe social distancing. Students are also requested to screen with RT-PCR test 72 hours prior to their arrival to Sikkim. Further, the students are also required to compulsorily stay in their rooms for 14 days after they reach the campus, and all the students are being monitored daily by designated faculty members. If any students experience any symptoms during the 14 days of quarantine period, then the samples are sent for RT-PCR test in the new molecular lab and any student turning out to be positive will be treated with care, caution, and full dedication. Healthy food is also being served to the rooms of the individual students, and clean linen sheets are being supplied, along with regular cleaning of rooms and garbage disposal facilities, the dean informed.
The preclinical “in-person” classes are set to commence on December 24 and to ensure optimal social distancing, the students will be grouped in three batches. The routine classes will be held from 9 am morning till 7 pm in the evening. “This entire process of bringing back our students to the campus and at the same time ensuring that all Covid-19 safety protocols are followed could not have been possible without the never-ending support from the pre, para and clinical staff of SMIMS and our teaching hospital, Central Referral Hospital (CRH),” the dean added.