West Bengal eases Covid-19 curbs; schools, colleges to reopen from Feb 3

Schools in West Bengal will reopen for classes 8 to 12 from February 3, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced today.

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New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday (Januray 31, 2022) said the schools for classes 8 to 12 will reopen in the state from 3 February. The decision to relax Covid-19 curbs and reopen schools, colleges in West Bengal comes as the Covid-19 pandemic situation improves in the state.

However, CM Mamata Banerjee announced that the night curfew in the state is being relaxed by an hour, instead of being in force from 10 pm to 5 am, now the curfew will remain in place from 11 pm to 5 am. 

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee announces relaxation in COVID restrictions: Night curfew to be in force between 11pm-5am instead of 10pm-5am. Restaurants, bars, and cinema halls to operate at 75% capacity. Parks & tourist places to reopen with COVID safety protocols." pic.twitter.com/F3JjHqMru0 — ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2022

“Colleges and universities will also restart their offline classes from Thursday,” CM Banerjee has said. “Work force can be increased from 50 per cent to 75 per cent in private offices,” CM Banerjee added. 

While addressing a press conference today CM Mamata Banerjee said, “Restaurants, bars and cinema halls can now operate at 75 per cent capacity compared to the earlier 50 per cent. The same applies to sports arenas, which can now operate at 75 per cent seating capacity.”

Banerjee said the COVID-19 situation in the state has improved a lot, because of which certain relaxations are being given. 

Meanwhile,  West Bengal's Covid-19 caseload increased to 19,93,606 on Sunday after 3,427 more people tested positive for the virus, 85 less than the previous day's figure, the health department said in a bulletin. The state recorded 33 fresh coronavirus fatalities which pushed the death toll to 20,583.