Schools, Colleges, Gyms To Reopen In Delhi; Mask While Traveling Alone In Car Not Needed
With the daily COVID-19 cases sharply declining in the national capital, Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Friday decided to reopen higher education institutions and coaching centres along with schools for class 9-12 from February 7.
Classes from nursery to 8 will also resume from February 14.
However, teachers, who are not vaccinated will not be permitted to attend classes.
"Schools will reopen for classes 9-12 from February 7 and for nursery to 8 from February 14. The classes will continue to be in a hybrid mode," Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said.
Curbs relaxed
The deputy chief minister, who also holds the education portfolio, said institutions of higher education and coaching institutes will also be permitted to open from Monday.
"However, colleges will be discouraged to hold online classes and should start offline teaching," he said.
The Centre had issued revised Covid guidelines for reopening of schools amid declining trends of Covid cases across the country.
The guidelines have been prepared in two parts. The first part addresses concerns on health, hygiene and safety aspects while the second part deals with learning with social distancing. "These guidelines are advisory in nature and we have shared with all stakeholders and have advised them to adopt it as per the need", said Changasan. Schools are fully open in 11 states and closed in nine, she added in the briefing.
What the new guidelines say
The guidelines have asked to ensure and monitor proper cleaning and sanitation facilities in the schools. It also asks to maintain at least 6 feet distance between students in the seating plan. Social distancing has to be maintained in the staff rooms, office area, assembly hall, and other common areas. The SOPs have also advised for flexible, staggered, and reduced timings for different classes.
Schools should not undertake any events where social distancing is not possible. All students and staff arrive at school wearing a face mask and continue wearing it all through, said the guidelines. Social distancing needs to be maintained during the distribution of PM POSHAN.
Gyms have also been allowed to reopen with certain restrictions in the national capital.
Night curfew will continue but from 11 pm instead of 10 pm, and markets, market complexes, malls, all shops and establishments dealing with non-essential goods and services shall be allowed to open between 10 AM to 8 PM without the restriction of odd-even.
Offices have also been permitted to resume functioning with 100 percent attendance.
In another important decision, the panel exempted drivers who are alone in their vehicles from wearing masks.
The Delhi High Court had questioned the city government on the order making it mandatory to wear a mask while a person is driving in a car alone, asking why it is still followed.
"Why don't you withdraw it? It is absurd actually. You are sitting in your own car and you must wear the mask," a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh had asked.
In April last year, the High Court had said it is mandatory to wear a mask in a vehicle during the pandemic, even if its driver is the only one in the vehicle.
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