Himachal Pradesh government has decided to close schools except for residential schools till August 22.

The state government earlier had opened schools for Classes 10 and 12 and now they will be closed till August 22. However, teaching and non-teaching staff shall attend the school. The education department shall frame SOPs for the residential schools to contain COVID-19.

While it is mandatory for tourists to carry RT-PCR negative reports of a minimum of 72 hours, Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) report of 24 hours or Vaccination Certificate with both doses to enter the state.

The State Cabinet meeting was chaired in Shimla on Tuesday under the chairmanship of State Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. With the sudden surge in Covid positive cases, the cabinet decided to make these certificates mandatory to tourists and the local residents of the state will be exempted. Earlier the government had issued an advisory to the tourists entering the state to follow the above guidelines which have been made mandatory now.

“Inter-state, Inter-district and Intra-district Movement of Public transport buses are now allowed to operate with 50 per cent of the registered seating capacity with effect from August 13, 2021. For the inter-State public transport buses, Transport Department shall frame mechanism for checking of RTPCR/RAT/ Vaccine certificate, so that only eligible passengers will board the buses,” stated the release given by the Himachal Pradesh government.