The Bihar government has relaxed the Covid guidelines as the number of cases have gone down in the state. However, people are still advised to wear masks and follow social distancing.
The government sectors and private offices, shops, religious places, shopping malls will now run normally, as notified by the Bihar government.
The state government has notified that educational institutions like schools, colleges, universities and coaching institutes are now allowed to reopen and conduct physical classes. In addition to this, schools, up to Class 8, are allowed to carry on with 50% of capacity, while the secondary and the higher secondary classes (Class 9 and above) can run at full strength.
The additional chief secretary, Chaitanya Prasad, said that the government would make a fresh COVID review on February 12 and then would further take decisions for the upcoming week. The new relaxation would come into effect from February 7 to February 13.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had also tweeted about the relaxation after chairing a meeting with some top bureaucrats and crisis management groups (CMG) along with some senior members of his Cabinet.
In his series of tweets, roughly translated into English, he stated, “The COVID situation in Bihar was reviewed. After reviewing the improved situations of the COVID cases in the state, it has been decided that up to grade 8, classes can run with 50% of capacity and the classes for grade 9 and beyond can run at full capacity. All government organizations will now be open normally and only the vaccinated people are allowed to enter the office.”
He further tweeted, “All shops, offices, malls will be operating normally and the parks, gardens will be open from 6 AM to 2 PM. Movie theatres, eateries, swimming pools, gyms, stadiums will operate with 50% of the strength. Weddings, last rituals and ceremonies are also allowed to organise with the maximum attendance of 200 people.”
Public transportation, such as buses and autorickshaws, will operate at full capacity.