All schools closed in UP till January 16; Covid vaccination for 15-18 years to continue

NEW DELHI: Due to a sudden surge in Covid-19 cases, the Uttar Pradesh government, in the latest notice, ordered closure of all schools up to Class 10 from today to January 16, 2022. However, online classes will continue for these students. After the state detected 2,038 fresh Covid-19 cases, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath held a high-level meeting to review the situation and directed the officials to declare holiday in all schools up to Class 10 till January 16.

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According to the official order, “Students of Classes 11 and 12 will also attend online classes but can visit the schools for vaccination purposes.” Over 4,60,000 adolescents have received their first Covid-19 vaccine shot under the drive to inoculate those in the 15-18 age group in the state.

The state government had on Tuesday issued new guidelines, extending night curfew by two hours from 10 pm to 6 am from Thursday and closure of schools up to Class 10 till Makar Sankranti among others.

On December 30, Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad announced winter vacation for primary and junior high school from December 31 to January 15, 2022. UP schools for up to Class 8 were closed, as per the academic calendar 2022.

Later, the Uttar Pradesh government on January 4 ordered closure of all schools up to Class 10 till January 15 and extended the night curfew by two hours. In view of steady increase in Covid-19 cases and Omicron fear, the state government has stressed on strict compliance of new guidelines.

The state reported 2,038 new cases of the disease and recorded 51 recoveries as well. The total number of active COVID-19 cases in the state now stands at 5,158. The highest number of new cases in the state during the past 24 hours was reported from Gautam Buddh Nagar (511), followed Lucknow (288), Ghaziabad (255) and Meerut (110), PTI reported.