Murad Raas issues updates on schools for Lahore, Rawalpindi

• Murad Raas says classes till grade 6 to continue in staggered manner.
• The restriction is applicable in Rawalpindi and Lahore, Raas says.
• Earlier, restriction was imposed till Jan 31 and was limited to Lahore.

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Education Murad Raas on Friday issued an update for schools in the province's megacities — Lahore and Rawalpindi — as the country sees a steady rise in coronavirus cases.

In a statement on Twitter, the education minister said in all public and private schools of Lahore and Rawalpindi, classes up to grade 6 will continue in a staggered manner — 50% students each day — until February 15.

Earlier, the restriction was imposed till January 31 and was limited to Lahore.

The education minister said classes 7 to 12 will remain on the previous schedule (continue with strict SOPs and all students vaccinated). "Please follow COVID SOPs."

Lahore witnessed an alarming rise in its COVID-19 positivity rate after it shot up from 15.25% to 20.58% in a single day as the spread of the pandemic does not seem to slow down anywhere in the country.

As of January 27, 1,380 new infections were detected in Lahore during the last 24 hours, according to official data released Friday morning, when 6,705 samples underwent the diagnostic test.

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) also a day earlier decided to extend the coronavirus curbs in the country from January 31 till February 15, sources told Geo News.