Schools for classes 9-12, colleges to reopen from Sept. 1

The Tamil Nadu government on Saturday announced a number of relaxations from the COVID-19 lockdown as cases continue to decline. According to the new guidelines, schools for classes 9-12 and all colleges, including polytechnics, will be allowed to function from September 1 in shifts.

The government is also considering reopening kindergarten and schools for classes 1-8 after September 15, based on the implementation of COVID-19 safety norms for the senior classes and after consultations with experts. For the senior classes that are allowed to reopen, the noon-meal scheme will be operational, the government said. The government has mandated that all teaching and non-teaching staff be vaccinated.

The government also announced that cinema theatres would be allowed to function from August 23 with 50% capacity. Beaches would be open to members of the public, and zoos, parks and boat-houses would be allowed to operate. Corporation officials and the Collectors were tasked with ensuring that shop-owners, staff members and small traders on the beaches were vaccinated.

Swimming pools are also allowed to function for sports training with 50% capacity. Trainers and trainees aged above 18 are mandated to be vaccinated.

The government also extended the timings for shops to operate from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. from August 23.

Information Technology and ITeS companies are also allowed to function with 100% staffing in compliance with the COVID-19 protocol and safety measures, the government said. Anganwadi centres are also allowed to open for providing mid-day meals from September 1 and creches have been allowed to operate with all staff members vaccinated.

Bars and pubs and star hotels with bars (FL-2 and FL3 licensees) will be allowed to function.

The government has also allowed public transport from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to operate following the protocol. It said all organisations for which the regulations had been relaxed had to ensure that all their staff members were vaccinated.

The government said the protocol of ‘test-track-treat-vaccinaion-Covid-19 appropriate behaviour’ will be strictly implemented. It directed officials to ensure that in places where there were COVID-19 cases, strict monitoring was done at the micro level and the eligible persons were inoculated.