Higher Educational Institutes Can Open For Vaccinated Staff, Students But School To Remain Closed: Govt
Srinagar, Aug 29 (GNS): Jammu and Kashmir government on Sunday said that higher educational institutions can be permitted to commence with limited in-person teaching subject to cent percent vaccination of staff and students and specific permission of concerned Deputy Commissioners.
However, as per a government order, all schools including coaching centers shall continue to remain closed for onsite and in-person teaching, till further orders.
The decision was taken at a detailed review of the current COVID situation in Jammu and Kashmir held by the State Executive Committee, who is the Chief Secretary J&K, with the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Finance, ACS Health and Medical Education , Principal Secretary, Home, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and other officers of Jammu and Kashmir on August 27.
The government also reiterated that the maximum number of people permitted to attend any indoor/ outdoor gathering shall be strictly restricted to 25. “All District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police shall ensure compliance.”There shall be no weekend curfew in any district, read the order, a copy of which lies with GNS.
“All schools including coaching centers shall continue to remain closed for onsite / in-person teaching, till further orders,” the order said, adding, “However, the higher educational institutions can be permitted to commence with limited in-person teaching subject to 100% vaccination of staff and students and specific permission of concerned Deputy Commissioners.” Such institutions, the government said, can organize special vaccination camps in consultation with district administration.
“Other educational institutions can allow attendance of vaccinated staff for administrative purposes.”
The government also ordered that night curfew shall continue to remain in force in all districts from 8 pm to 7 am.”
All Deputy Commissioners, they said, shall intensify testing by making optimum use of available rt-PCR and RAT capacities. “There shall be no drop in testing levels.”
The Deputy Commissioners, the government said, shall also focus on the positivity rates of the Medical-Blocks under their jurisdictions.
“Intensified measures related to Covid management and restriction of activities shall be undertaken in these Blocks. There shall be renewed focus on Panchayat level mapping of cases and effective micro-containment zones shall be constituted wherever unusual spike of cases is noticed,” the order said, adding, “DCs shall keep active track of the positivity rates in blocks and consider implementing stricter control measures in closed clustered spaces like Public/ Private Offices, Community halls, Malls, Bazaars etc., in case weekly positivity rate goes beyond 4 percent in these Blocks.”
The three – “T” protocol of testing, tracking and treating, besides vaccination, needs to strengthened in these Blocks, it said. “The proportion of rT-PCR tests in the total mix should be scaled up on best effort basis, to 70 % or more, excluding travelers.”
The Intensive vaccination drive shall be taken up in all districts to ensure timely administration of second dose besides maximizing first dose to vulnerable groups, they said.
The District Magistrates, the government said, shall strictly ensure that there is full compliance to COVID appropriate behavior and defaulters are firmly dealt with under relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act and the Indian Penal Code.
“The District Magistrates shall constitute joint teams of Police and Executive Magistrates for intensifying enforcement of Covid Appropriate Behaviour”. The joint teams, they said, shall submit daily reports regarding activities earned out by them and their assessment of compliance level.
“DCs will intensify the campaigns for ensuring COVID appropriate behavior. Dedicated IEC, including public announcements through mobile vehicles must be undertaken.”
The government ordered that at entry point to J&K at Lakhanpur, mandatory testing for COVID can be dispensed with for those who have received both dosages of vaccine provided a reliable and verifiable system can be put in place in consultation with the medical team.
“Entry into Parks can be permitted to vaccinated persons with due verification.” (GNS)
