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Amid Covid-19 surge, schools, colleges shut in HP till April 4
Teachers and other school and college staff will continue to attend work at institutions but maintain protocol, says CM
Amid the surge in Covid-19 cases, the Himachal Pradesh government on Friday decided to close all educational institutions, including schools, colleges, universities and technical institutes, till April 4 except for those classes having examinations.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting presided over by chief minister Jai Ram Thakur in Shimla as a precautionary measure to curb the spread of the coronavirus infection.
Boarding schools not to close
hostels but maintain protocol
The chief minister said that schools with residential facilities need not close their hostels but should strictly comply with the standard operating procedures (SOPs). He said residential areas should be cut off and compliance officers should be appointed to ensure the implementation of the safety protocol.
Also read: Himachal logs 315 new infections, two deaths
Medical colleges to function as usual
Medical colleges and nursing institutions will continue to function as usual.
Teachers and other school and college staff will continue to attend the institutions, he said.
No social, cultural events to be held by govt
Thakur said that the government will not organise any social and cultural events till April 4 and gatherings will be restricted to a maximum of 200 for indoor and 50% for outdoor events.
He said congregations and community kitchens in temples will not be allowed but devotees may pay obeisance at shrines.
No public celebration on Holi
The chief minister said that April 3 will be a holiday for all offices in the state and there will be no public celebration of Holi. He urged people to celebrate Holi at their homes with their family members only.
He said all frontline workers will be sensitised to get themselves vaccinated at the earliest and take their second dose as scheduled.
It was also decided at the meeting that the district administrations will take a judicious call on more restrictions in view of the positivity and fatality rate in their respective districts.
State chief secretary Anil Khachi, additional chief secretaries RD Dhiman and JC Sharma, health secretary Amitabh Awasthi and National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) director Dr Nipun Jindal were present at the meeting.
