Karnataka schools to open for classes 9 to 12 in districts with less than 2% positivity rate

Karnataka announced that schools can open for classes 9 to 12 in districts where the COVID-19 positivity rate is less than 2 per cent, schools will open from August 23.

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New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday announced that schools can open for classes 9 to 12 in districts where the COVID-19 positivity rate is less than 2 per cent. Schools will initially open for students of Classes 9-12 from August 23, as decided earlier.

In districts with "more than 2 per cent positivity rate, we are not allowing schools to open. All parents and teachers and staff should be vaccinated. Without vaccination, they cannot enter the school premises," he said.

The CM took the decision after a meeting with experts, a detailed guidelines on the issue will be worked out soon. 

While, colleges have opened for classes for vaccinated students and employees, only. School students have been vaccinated as people under 18 are not allowed to get doses.

Bommai said the positivity rate in Bengaluru currently is at 0.75% and that he has given full authority BBMP commissioner to take regulatory action if it reaches 2%.

CM informed that the state has decided to increase vaccination in and testing some dictricts like Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Mysuru, Hassan, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga and Bengaluru Rural.

Karnataka recorded 1,632 fresh COVID-19 cases and 25 deaths taking the total infections and fatalities to 29,28,033 and 36,958. There were 22,695 active cases in the state while the recovery of 1,612 patients took the total recoveries to 28,68,351, the department said.