Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Sunday said the state government plans to fully vaccinate all teaching and non-teaching staff against COVID-19 by September 5, and this would be the first step towards reopening of schools.

Speaking to reporters in Jalna, the minister said a special drive was being conducted for this, adding that a state task force was of the view that schools in districts where there were no positive cases can be reopened.

The state government is being alert due to the upcoming festival season, taking cue from Kerala where 31,000 COVID-19 cases were recorded in a single day post Onam celebrations, he added.