Visakhapatnam: Senior Psychology Professor M V R Raju says rise in anxiety levels among kids will lead to poor focus

Visakhapatnam: No matter what, it is not going to be the same academic year like how it used to be earlier.

Questions such as how to ensure maintenance of social distance on the campus? How effective will the shift system work? Can children wear masks for a long time? How many students are going to share a classroom? Will they follow safety protocols all the time, refrain from sharing their lunch boxes with their friends and many more, continue to bother parents and students.

As the School Education Department is preparing to commence the fresh academic year with new safety norms in place, psychologists say that anxiety level is increasing among students and it should be addressed on a priority basis before it becomes too late.

In times of pandemic, Covid-induced anxiety level has more impact on those aged between six years and 13 years, according to experts. The period from lockdown 1 to unlock 1.0 has only worsened it, a survey revealed.

Psychologists say that rise in anxiety levels among this age group leads to poor focus, untold fear, in some cases, loss of memory too. The fear of getting infected with the virus continues to linger on them despite following safety measures such as wearing masks, maintaining social distance and washing hands at regular intervals.

Senior Professor and Head Director of the Department of Psychology, Andhra University M V R Raju says, "There is a need to introduce counselling sessions for students before the commencement of the academic year. This will help them unmask their anxiety and prepare them for a new academic year amid coronavirus pandemic."

Elaborating about steps to cope with rising anxiety levels, Dr. Raju, says communication is the key. "As parents, we need to educate children about the impact of coronavirus and the safety standards to be followed in order to keep the virus at bay. This can also take an interesting format such as storytelling. The fear of losing dear ones and the possibility of getting infected is high among youngsters. We need to build confidence among them and help them erase their untold fears," the Professor adds. At a time when coronavirus positive cases are rising rapidly, many parents are apprehensive about sending their wards to the school even if it reopens after August 15.