Punjab’s schools are all set to open from July 26 for classes X, XI, are XII with the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday announcing further relaxations, including increase in the number of people in indoor gatherings to 150 and outdoors to 300, subject to an upper limit of 50 percent of the capacity.
Taking note of the decline in COVID positivity to 0.3 percent, with reproduction number (Rt) at 0.75 for Punjab (lower than the national average), the Chief Minister said that schools will be allowed to open for classes X to XII, but only those teachers and staff shall be allowed to be physically present who are fully vaccinated.
“Physical presence of the students shall be purely at the consent of the parents and the option of virtual classes shall be continued. An undertaking to this effect shall be submitted to the Deputy Commissioners concerned,” he directed.
If the situation remains under control, the remaining classes shall similarly be allowed to open from August 2, 2021, the Chief Minister announced, pointing out that the Cambridge University has predicted that the cases shall further decline in the coming weeks.
With respect to social gatherings, the Chief Minister said that artists or musicians shall be allowed at such functions or celebrations in all areas, with adherence to due COVID-19 protocols.
The relaxations came days after the Chief Minister had ordered opening of bars, cinema halls, restaurants, spas, swimming pools, coaching centres, sports complexes, gyms, malls, museums, zoos, etc at 50 percent with vaccine compliance.
The Chief Minister had earlier also allowed colleges, coaching centres, and all other institutions of higher learning to open with similar compliance.
During a virtual review meeting of the COVID situation, the Chief Minister said that the month-wise whole genome sequencing has shown that more than 90 percent cases is a variant of concern — that is the original virus has been practically replaced by variants, and the Delta variant remained predominant even in the month of June. However, there are no new cases of the Delta Plus variant, he noted.