Karnataka to take call on reopening schools for classes 1-5 after festival season: Health Minister K Sudhakar

Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar said, "We will take a decision shortly after the festival season. Let the Dussehra vacation get over."

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New Delhi: The Karnataka government will take a call on reopening schools for classes 1-5 after the festival season, state Health Minister K Sudhakar said on Sunday (October 3). 

Further, Sudhakar said that the state government resumed physical classes not in a "hurry" but in a phased manner after deliberation with parents and experts.

"We will take a decision shortly after the festival season. Let the Dussehra vacation get over," PTI quoted Sudhakar as saying. 

He added that a final decision will be taken after consultation and the Cabinet's decision. "We were to reopen schools for classes 1-5 because medically speaking immunity in children up to 12 years is highest,” the state health minister said.

Commenting on a school in Bengaluru which had to be closed after children tested COVID-19 positive, Sudhakar said that reopening schools for classes 1-5 students cannot depend on one incident. 

“That school is shut now and many children are isolated. Two children had symptoms and they are not in a serious condition. We are keeping a watch on every school in the state," he said.

He added, "It has been more than a month that schools were reopened for classes 6-8 in the state and "we have not received any reports of concerns from schools so far." 

Sudhakar assured that the state government will take back its decision if students face issues. “We did not take decisions in hurry. Even now if we see children are facing problems, then we will immediately take back our decision,” he stated. 

Meanwhile, Karnataka logged 664 fresh COVID-19 cases and eight fatalities on Sunday, which took the infection tally to 29,77,889 and the death toll to 37,819. The state currently has 12,301 active cases, a health department bulletin said.

(With PTI inputs)