The State’s COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) that met on Tuesday to discuss the State’s preparedness to deal with a second wave has recommended that the Education Department should consider promoting students from class 1 to 9 without exams.
Sources in the TAC told The Hindu that it would be advisable if exams are held only for class 10 and 12 students. Also, the exams should be postponed and held in May-June instead of the usual March-April and summer holidays should be done away with, the TAC members felt. “With the second wave expected any time after February, the Education Department can take a call on this after due deliberations,” said one of the members from TAC.
“While the State should continue the same pace of testing till March, there is a need to activate the entire machinery (hospitals, ICU facilities, labs and ambulance services). If required and if the second wave is as big as the first outbreak, the State should consider reopening small COVID care centres,” the member said.
New cases
Meanwhile, the State on Monday reported 1,870 new cases, taking the total number of cases to 8,76,425. With 17 deaths, the toll rose to 11,695. This is apart from 19 deaths of patients due to non-COVID-19 reasons.
As many as 1,949 people were discharged on Tuesday, taking the total number of recoveries to 8,40,099. Of the remaining 24,612 active patients, 418 were being monitored in the ICU. While the positivity rate for the day stood at 1.58%, the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) touched 0.91%. Bengaluru Urban reported 927 cases, taking its tally to 3,65,317. With 12 deaths coming from Bengaluru, the toll in this district rose to 4,090.
