Bihar Unlock 4: 50% Attendance Allowed in Universities; Restaurants, Gyms to Reopen | Know What's Open

The Bihar government on Monday decided to relax Covid-19 curbs during Unlock 4 by allowing universities and restaurants to open from July 7 besides easing several other curbs that are in place as part of the COVID-induced lockdown clamped on the state two months ago.

The decision was announced by chief minister Nitish Kumar after chairing a meeting of the crisis management group with ministers and senior officials of the state. The new set of relaxations will remain effective for a month from July 7 till August 6.

Guidelines to be followed amid this phase of unlocking are as follows

• All universities, colleges, technical institutions, government training institutes, classes 11 and 12 will resume with 50% attendance. Arrangements will be made for the vaccination of all adult students, teachers, and employees. However, schools for classes 1 to 10 and coaching institutes will remain closed and no exam will be conducted during the period.
• Restaurants, gyms, swimming pools, and clubs will be opening up with 50% capacity. Only those who have been vaccinated would be permitted to use these facilities.
• Stadiums and sports complexes may permit entry of sportspersons for their practice sessions, though no other activity shall be allowed, the notification said. Restaurants have been told to resume dine-in facilities with 50 percent capacity.
• The government has extended the list of guests at weddings and ceremonies to 50 from 25. However, cinema halls and malls would continue to remain closed. Places of religious worship will remain closed.
• All government and private offices will be able to function “normally”, doing away with the previous cap of 50 percent attendance, though those in charge of these establishments will have to ensure that only vaccinated people are given entry.
• There is however no change in timings for shops and they will continue to operate on alternate days from 6 am till 7 pm.
• Parks, gardens, and zoos will remain open from 6 am to 12 noon with proper Covid-19 protocol while the duration of night curfew has been further reduced by an hour from 9 pm till 5 am.

The lockdown in the state was clamped on May 5 and was extended four times, the last being on June 2, to contain a record rise in Covid-19 infections in the state. The state on Sunday reported 109 new cases, with a number of active cases at 1,435.

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