State govt to reopen school classes for 9 to 12 in districts with less than 2% positivity rate

Bengaluru: Basavaraj Bommai, the chief minister of Karnataka, announced on Saturday that schools can open in districts where the COVID-19 positivity rate is less than 2%. As decided earlier, schools will initially open for students of Classes 9-12 from August 23.

‘In districts with more than 2 percent positivity rate, we are not allowing schools to open. All parents, teachers and staff should be vaccinated. Without vaccination, they cannot enter the school premises,’ he said.

After a meeting with experts, the CM made the decision, and a detailed policy on the issue will be developed soon. While the colleges have opened classes only to employees and students who have been vaccinated. As people under 18 are not allowed to get doses of the vaccine, school students have not been vaccinated. The positivity rate in Bengaluru is currently at 0.75%, and Bommai says he has given full authority to the BBMP commissioner to take regulatory action if it reaches 2%.

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CM informed that the state has decided to increase vaccinations in certain districts like Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Mysuru, Hassan, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga and Bengaluru Rural.

The state reported 1,632 new COVID-19 cases and 25 deaths, bringing the total infections and deaths to 29,28,033 and 36,958, respectively. According to the state department, there are 22,695 active cases in the state, while 1,612 patients have been recovered, which brings the total to 28,68,351.