West Bengal shuts schools & parlours from January 3, offices to be operated at 50% capacity

In response to an increase in daily COVID-19 cases, the West Bengal government imposed various new restrictions on Sunday (January 2).

From Monday (January 3), schools, universities, and spas will be closed, while all government and private offices will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity.

West Bengal Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi, as quoted by ANI, said, "All schools, colleges, universities, spas, salons, beauty parlours, zoos, and entertainment parks to be closed in the state from tomorrow."

"All government and private offices to operate at 50% capacity, all administrative meetings to be conducted via virtual mode," he added. Only essential services will be permitted from 10 pm to 5 am, the government added. 

Local trains will operate from Monday with 50% capacity till 7 pm. "West Bengal to operate flights from Delhi and Mumbai only twice a week which will be on Monday and Tuesday w.e.f Jan 5," the Chief Secretary said.

The Bengal government decided earlier this week to temporarily halt all direct flights from the United Kingdom to Kolkata, effective January 3, due to an increase in coronavirus cases.

West Bengal reported 4,512 new infections on Saturday, with 2,398 of them coming from Kolkata, according to a health bulletin. The state's death toll now stands at 19,773 after nine more deaths on Saturday. The state's Omicron count is currently at 16.

Meanwhile, Aroop Biswas, the West Bengal Power Minister, was admitted to a Kolkata hospital on Saturday after testing positive for COVID-19, according to an official.