Stephan Kayyar

Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (EP)

Kasargod, Jan 14: While 371 have tested positive for Coronavirus in the district, 138 have been discharged. As many as 1,328 are undergoing treatment and 6,021 are under observation. The virus was confirmed overall among 1,45,529. While 1,42,753 are cured, 914 have died.

A Covid review meeting chaired by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has decided to keep classrooms from first standard to ninth standard closed from January 21 due to the spike in Omicron cases. Online classes will be started for students from January 21. It is decided to keep the schools closed till February 2. Further decisions will be taken considering the situation. Classes for tenth to twelfth standards will be held as usual. There will be no night curfew or weekend restrictions as of now. The chief minister has directed the respective deputy commissioners to take decisions for restrictions after marking the clusters. Pregnant women working in government offices will be arranged to work from home facilities.

All the official programmes at government, public and cooperative levels will be held online. Up to 50 people are permitted to attend social, cultural and religious programmes in districts with more than 20 per cent positivity. Official permission will be required if more than 50 people need to participate. No public programmes are permitted if the positivity rates cross 30 per cent. All the businesses and bookings should give priority for online transactions. People should be permitted in malls only after taking precautions.

The chief minister advised the health and education departments to vaccinate students of standards 10, 11 and 12 in their schools.