LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday allowed physical classes in schools for students of grades 6 to 8 from August 23 and for grades 1 to 5 from September 1, officials said here.
The state has already allowed physical classes in schools for students of grades 9 to 12 with strict COVID-19 protocol from August 16.
"The order has been issued to open schools for students of classes 6-8 from September 23 and for classes 1-5 from September 1," a senior official said.
Earlier this week, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had asked officials to consider the resumption of teaching activity for Classes 6 to 8 from August 23 after Rakshabandhan.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Uttar Pradesh increased to 17,09,025 on Wednesday as 35 more people tested positive for the disease, while the death toll climbed to 22,787 with one fresh fatality, a health bulletin issued here said.
The latest death was reported from Meerut, it showed.
The total number of recoveries in the state has reached 16,85,819, the bulletin stated.
The number of active cases of the disease in Uttar Pradesh stands at 419, of which 303 are in home-isolation, Additional Chief Secretary, Medical and Health, Amit Mohan Prasad said.
So far, over 6.97 crore samples have been tested for COVID-19 in the state, including 2.32 lakh on Tuesday, he added.
No fresh cases were reported in 53 (of total 75) districts in a span of 24 hours, the bulletin showed, adding that the recovery rate was at 98.6 per cent.
So far, 6.06 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the state, 5.11 crore first doses and over 94 lakh second doses.