Schools up to class 8 to remain close till Apr 11 amid Covid surge: UP govt

The Chief Minister was reviewing the unlock system at a high-level meeting at his official residence here on Friday.

He issued instructions to close all the government and private schools from class 1st to class 8th till April 11 in view of the spurt in cases.

“During this period, teaching work in these schools will remain suspended, while teachers will keep coming to the school for administrative work,” he said.

The classes up to Class VIII were earlier closed till April 4.

He said that all types of resources are available in adequate quantities in the state to control the infection of Covid-19 and to treat patients. “We have extensive experience in successfully dealing with Covid-19 cases and should continue the fight with the experience gained last year and better coordination of resources,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that the public address system should be used effectively to make people aware of coronavirus infection.

To prevent the spread of infection, mandatory use of masks, sanitization and social distancing should be ensured. “If people do not put masks in public places, then action should be taken against them,” he said.

Adityanath also instructed officials to make a report on the status of restoration of Covid hospitals across the state and said that in view of Covid-19, the number of L-2 and L-3 Covid hospitals should be increased.

“Effective arrangements for testing, tracking and treatment should be ensured," he said.

The Chief Minister said that those who are placed in home isolation should be monitored continuously and their condition should be observed. He also directed officials to activate monitoring committees and asked them to make the surveillance system effective.

He said that people from outside states are coming back to Uttar Pradesh in view of festivals and panchayat elections, in such a situation, all steps should be taken to prevent the spread of corona infection in the villages.

The Chief Minister instructed officials to maintain special vigilance in the districts of Lucknow, Kanpur Nagar, Meerut, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Ghaziabad, Agra and said that the number of L-2, L-3 beds should be increased in these districts.

He instructed all district magistrates and chief medical officers to meet regularly in the morning in the Covid hospital and in the evening in the Integrated Command and Control Centre to review the situation and decide the strategy.

He said that the needs of the patients who are undergoing treatment and those who are placed in home isolation should be taken care of and the problems should be resolved. Continuous communication with patients should be maintained through CM Helpline. The Chief Minister's Office should be made aware of the situation every day.

Reviewing the progress of vaccination, the Chief Minister said that from April 1 people in the age group of 45 years have also been included in the vaccination therefore, the speed of vaccination will have to be increased now. For this, vaccination is also being done in health and wellness centres.

Therefore, following the guidelines of the Government of India, vaccination should be done with full commitment. Wastage of the vaccine should be stopped at all costs, he underlined.