Jharkhand unlock: Schools to reopen for Classes 9-12, cinema halls to operate at 50% capacity

Offline classes for students of Class 9 to 12 can resume in Jharkhand. However, schools will stay open only till 12 pm and children will have to ensure parents` permission in order to visit school.

New Delhi:  The Jharkhand government on Friday (July 30) announced several relaxations in view of declining COVID-19 cases. The decision was taken at a  meeting of the Jharkhand State Disaster Management Authority, held in Ranchi, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Hemant Soren. 

Despite the ease in curbs, weekend lockdown will continue in August as well. The weekend lockdown will commence at 8 pm on Saturdays and last till 6 am on Mondays. 

Check the new guidelines here:

1. Offline classes for students of Class 9 to 12 can resume. However, schools will stay open only till 12 pm and children will have to ensure parents' permission in order to visit school.

2. The operation of inter-state buses has been permitted from August 1. 

3. Hotels and restaurants will be allowed to open till 10 pm on Sunday. 

4. Colleges have been allowed to reopen for the final year classes of both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Although to resume physical classes, which will function till 12 pm, students must be vaccinated with at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose.

5. Students above the age of 18 can attend coaching classes, with the caveat that they have been administered at least one coronavirus vaccine dose. 

6. It is mandatory for teachers to be vaccinated. Physical classes can resume with only 50% capacity and online classes will continue.

7. Cinema halls and multiplexes can reopen at 50% capacity. 

8. Restaurants and bars can operate till 10 pm with 50% capacity. 

9. Now 100 people can attend weddings. 

10. All government and private offices can allow 100% of their staff to return to work.

11. All shops in all districts can stay open till 8 pm. But establishments apart from restaurants, bars and essential services (grocery stores, and fruit and vegetable shops) will have to stay shut from 8 pm on Saturday till Monday 6 am, i.e. during weekend lockdown. 

On  Thursday (July 29), Jharkhand reported 27 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the caseload to 3,47,049. The death toll rose in the state mounted to 5,126 after one fresh fatality was recorded, a health department bulletin said. The state currently has 237 active COVID-19 cases, while 3,41,686 patients have recovered from the disease. 

(With agency inputs)