Bengaluru: Basavaraj Bommai, the chief minister of Karnataka, announced that classes for Classes 9 to 12 in that state would reopen for physical education. While on tour in Mangaluru, he told reporters that he would hold a meeting with experts in Bengaluru to discuss the issue of opening schools – possibly indicating that the issue might be reconsidered.
Some colleges have opened their doors to offline classes – but only for vaccinated students and staff. As school students are under 18, they were not vaccinated.
Around 40 to 50 cases per day were being reported of children under the age of 18 becoming infected with Covid-19 in Bengaluru, mostly after coming in contact with an infected adult. Since, cases among children were usually mild and asymptomatic, the city has not reported any deaths due to Covid since June.
There had been concerns that the third wave of the pandemic would impact children more severely – but the proportion of children infected has remained around the same as earlier. In the city, the number of children affected is not growing significantly – but there is no room for complacency.
BBMP Commissioner, Gaurav Gupta, said, ‘We are keeping a close watch on the situation daily. There is no perceptible increase in the number of cases in any age group. However, keeping in mind the evolution of the pandemic we need to be always vigilant…citizens must follow mask discipline, avoid crowded places, and take vaccinations. More than 70 percent of the eligible population in the city has taken the first dose which is one of the highest in any metro cities in the country.’
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