Maharashtra may allow physical classes for students from class 1 to 4

Tope said health workers and those involved in essential services should be allowed to get booster doses. He added Maharashtra has administered 110 million vaccine doses

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday cited a recommendation from a panel of experts and said it is likely to allow resumption of physical classes for class 1 to 4 students amid a decline in Covid-19 cases.

Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said the state government has asked the Centre to allow Covid-19 vaccination for the 12-18 age group. (PTI Photo/Representative use)

Health minister Rajesh Tope said the state’s Covid-19 Paediatric Task Force has recommended physical classes should be resumed with social distancing and other norms in place. “The health department has no objection. Tomorrow (Thursday) at the state Cabinet meeting, I think the final decision may be taken.”

Tope said the state government has asked the Centre to allow Covid-19 vaccination for the 12-18 age group. “We should start vaccination for children aged between 12-18... this is a vulnerable population .”

Tope said health workers and those involved in essential services should be allowed to get booster doses. He added Maharashtra has administered 110 million vaccine doses. Tope said the state’s 40% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated. He added they cannot open all the facilities considering the situation in the US and Europe following a surge in the Delta variant of Covid-19. “In Maharashtra apart from Delta variant, no other variant has been found.”

The number of active cases has fallen below the 10,000 level in the state and prompted the government to ease most restrictions.

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