Nepal's COVID Crisis Management Center recommends shutting schools until Jan 29, waits for cabinet's approval

Kathmandu [Nepal], January 9 : In view of rising COVID-19 cases in Nepal, the COVID Crisis Management Center (CCMC) on Sunday has recommended to the cabinet to shut schools until January 29.
A meeting of CCMC summoned in wake of rising COVID infection in the nation made recommendations which now would need to undergo cabinet approval to be implemented.
"Many of the schools now have given winter vacation to their students which extends from a week to a month. We have recommended the government to extend it till 29th of this month seeing the surging cases of Corona Virus infection," CCMC spokesperson Sunita Nepal told ANI over phone.
As per the official, the decision has been taken as the students are yet to be vaccinated against COVID and the possibility of the third wave induced by Omicron variant. Though the Directorial meeting of overseeing mechanism can execute decisions, Sunday's meeting was made by managerial meeting which has the provision to undergo cabinet approval.
Along with, the body has made vaccination certificates mandatory to take public services or use public places starting from January 17.
"Vaccination cards also are to be made compulsory to enter public places such as government offices, hotels, cinema halls, stadium, amusement park and during Domestic flights also. In order to minimize the flow of passengers at airports we have requested the Civil Aviation ministry to work further on the flight schedules," Nepal added.
Though the schools would remain shut for virtual classes vaccination campaign targeting school level students would continue as planned, the official stated. Also, the number of people gathering at public places has been capped to 25 by the body.
Decisions over the recommendation made by the CCMC are expected to be approved by end of the week as all the major leaders of the nation are isolating themselves after falling under contact tracing.
CPN-Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal along with nearly a dozen senior leaders have tested positive for Corona Virus which has forced major political figures including Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to isolate.
As per government sources, Deuba will be in isolation for at least three days starting from Saturday morning after he had a meeting with former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
Prime Minister Deuba along with other senior leaders of the ruling coalition were present in the meeting of the political coordination committee on Friday held at the Prime Minister Residence.
Friday's meeting was attended by PM Deuba, Congress Leader Ramchandra Paudel and Purna Bahadur Khadka along with Minister Gyanendra Karki, Maoist leaders Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Dev Prasad Gurung. Leader of Socialist Party Madhav Kumar Nepal, Secretary Beduram Bhusal, JSP Chairman Upendra Yadav amongst others.