Karnataka School Reopening Latest News Today: After reviewing the COVID situation in the state, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said the schools for classes 9 to 12 will be reopened in the state in districts where the positivity rate is less than 2 per cent. However, he did not make it clear when the schools in these districts will be resumed for students. Giving further details, the chief minister stated that it will be made mandatory for all parents and school staff to get vaccinated for entry into the school premises.
“We have decided to open schools for classes 9th to 12th in the districts where the positivity rate is less than 2%. Mandatory for all parents & school staff to be vaccinated for entry into the school premises,” Bommai added.
He also said that he will be meeting the Union Health Minister in Delhi and will get more vaccines for the state. “We are trying to get up to 1 crore vaccines for the state. We have been asked to increase vaccinations in the border districts,” he added.
Bommai had earlier announced that schools in Karnataka would reopen for physical classes from August 23 for Classes 9 to 12. But while on tour in Mangaluru, he said he would be holding a meeting in Bengaluru with experts to discuss the whole issue of opening schools.
It must be noted that the colleges have opened for offline classes – but only for vaccinated students and staff.
Bengaluru is seeing an alarming situation as around 40 to 50 cases a day among children under the age of 18 have been reported. Fortunately, the cases among children are usually asymptomatic and mild and the city has reported no death of a child due to Covid since June.
Speaking to Indian Express, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education BC Nagesh had said that once classes for older students begin, the department will wait for a week to review the situation, and the Technical Advisory Committee will take a decision on starting classes for primary students.
On Friday, Karnataka reported 1,669 new cases of COVID-19 and 22 deaths, taking the total number of infections to 29,26,401 and death toll to 36,933. The day also saw 1,672 discharges, taking the total number of recoveries to 28,66,739.
Bengaluru urban accounted for 425 new cases, as the city saw 424 discharges and 5 deaths. Dakshina Kannada and Kolar reported 3 deaths each, Belagavi, Chitradurga, Hassan and Tumakuru (2 each), followed by others. Dakshina Kannada recorded 390 new cases, Udupi 115, Hassan 113, Mysuru 106, followed by others.