Mumbai : The reopening of schools in Mumbai, Pune and Nashik has been postponed amid the threat of ‘Omicorn.’ Schools were scheduled to reopen from December 1 following the COVID 19 norms, but now amid the omicorn the guidelines have been revised. However, the reopening has been deferred, This is part of the new Covi-19 guidelines released amid threat of the new covid-19 variant omicron. Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope had on Monday said that the state cabinet has expressed concerns about passengers arriving from at-risk countries.
“Schools for classes 1-7 will now reopen from December 15, instead of December 1, in view of the emergence of #Omicron variant of COVID19 in the world,” Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal told media. This development comes as the BMC is contacting around 1,000 travellers from South Africa who landed in Mumbai.
Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol also said schools for classes 1 to 7 will not reopen in the city from December 1 and a decision in this regard will be announced on December 15 while Nashik municipal commissioner has stayed decision till December 10 amid concerns over the variant.
However, for the rest of Maharashtra schools will reopen from tomorrow, for Class 1 to 5 in the rural areas and 1-7 in the urban areas with full COVID protocols, as announced earlier by School Education Minister Prof. Varsha E. Gaikwad.
Schools in Mumbai for classes 1 to 7 won't reopen on December 1 but from 15 as the .@mybmc is contacting nearly 1000 travellers arrived from South Africa since November 10. In rest of Maharashtra schools to reopen from tomorrow says School Education Department officer
— Sanjay Jog (@SanjayJog7) November 30, 2021
.@fpjindia
Pune mayor .@mohol_murlidhar said schools for classes 1 to 7 will not reopen in the city from December 1 while Nashik municipal commissioner has stayed decision till December 10 amid #OmicronVariant threat
— Sanjay Jog (@SanjayJog7) November 30, 2021
.@fpjindia
Announcing the reopening guidelines, Maharashtra Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad had earlier said, “The government is sensitive to the possibility of a third wave and no laxity in implementation of SOPs will be permitted. Our students are our future. Let us all come together to ensure their health, wellbeing and continued education.”
Amid the guidelines issued for the reopening of schools, the Maharashtra government had announced that physical classes were held only for 3-4 hours a day. Schools were asked to work in shifts or on alternate days as the case may be to ensure only 15-20 students are present in class at a given time.
Currently, for time being, there are no cases reported in India of the Omicorn variant of Covid. Three returnees from South Africa have been tested covid positive, but their samples have been sent for genome sequencing and results are awaited.
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