Karnataka: Schools and colleges to reopen from January 31, night curfew to be lifted

Schools and colleges in Karnataka will reopen from January 31 with Covid-19 protocols, state Education Minister BC Nagesh said, according to NDTV.

He made the statement after a meeting on the coronavirus situation with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

Schools and colleges in Karnataka had been closed since January 6, when the state government introduced new restrictions amid rising cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.

Nagesh on Saturday said that the night curfew will also be lifted from January 31, ANI reported.

From Monday, hotels, restaurants and bars will be allowed to function with full capacity, instead of the existing 50% capacity. Government offices will also be allowed to work with all staff members.

However, the 50% limit has been retained for gyms, swimming pools, theatres, multiplexes and religious places.

As per the new guidelines, 200 people will be allowed to attend weddings at indoor venues, while 300 people can attend weddings at outdoor venues. However, protests, religious congregations and political programmes will continue to be banned, the minister said.

According to the guidelines, 25% of beds in private hospitals will be reserved for coronavirus patients. The state administration will also continue to maintain a strict vigil along its borders with Kerala, Maharashtra and Goa.

Covid-19 cases have been decreasing in Karnataka over the past few days. The state on Friday registered 31,198 coronavirus infections, a decline of 18.07% from Thursday’s figure of 38,083 cases.

Karnataka Health Minister Sudhakar K on Friday said that the hospitalisation rate was 1.90%. Only 0.24% of active Covid-19 patients were in intensive care units or on ventilators, he said.

The minister added that currently, 1.24% of Covid-19 patients have occupied non-oxygenated beds, while 0.42% are on oxygenated beds.

As many as 71,092 patients were discharged upon treatment on Friday, Sudhakar added.