All primary & government schools in Lucknow & other UP districts to remain shut till April 11

Given the accelerating rate of COVID infections in Uttar Pradesh, the state government has ordered all government and primary schools for students up to 8th standard to remain shut till April 11. Previously, the government had ordered the closure of schools for students of grades 1-8 till April 4 and now this date has extended. With COVID tallies breaching long time records in Lucknow and the state, this move ensures the safety of the vulnerable group of children.

Instructions to expand the count of COVID testing sites in the state

The government has also instructed the concerned authorities to expand the COVID diagnostic centres in the state so that the possibilities of an uncontrolled spread can be reduced. Officials and concerned authorities have also been asked to amplify testing, which dropped significantly due to Holi and the subsequent hike in cases.

In order to attain the testing goals, it has been said that an average of 1.5 lakhs tests should be conducted daily, 50% of which shall happen based on the RT-PCR method. It has been mandated that all suspected individuals shall be tested using this better and comparatively more accurate method. The CM has also asked for targeted testing schedules at vulnerable spots like homes, protection homes, residential schools and hostels.

Uttar Pradesh aims to inoculate 1 crore individuals in April

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Additionally, the CM has also ordered all departments to make provisions for a day's leave for all their employees who are willing to get vaccinated. Aligning with this, authorities have been asked to assure that similar facilities are available in the private sector as well. "The government employees going in for Covid-19 vaccination must be given a day's off on their due date. Likewise, similar arrangements must be made for private-sector employees too," read a statement issued by the Chief Minister.

As per records, more than 54 lakh doses of the COVID vaccine have been administered to the residents in the state till Tuesday. Benefitted from this, over 12 lakh individuals have received both the jabs and completed the process of inoculation. With the ongoing phase of vaccination focused on individuals over 45, the state expects to immunise 1 crore people in April.

Soaring COVID tallies in Uttar Pradesh

With 2,589 new detections of the virus on Thursday, Uttar Pradesh stands gripped under the fear of unrestrained virus spread for the second time. While the cumulative count of COVID-affected people in the state hovered over 6,19,783, Lucknow topped the list of new detections on Thursday with 938 cases. Currently, the state has 11,918 active cases, 3,912 of which are in the capital city itself. Taking cognisance of the situation, the state authorities are also undertaking awareness activities to make sure that people follow the guidelines.