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Kerala to ease Covid-19 lockdown from June 17. Check what’s allowed
“Relaxation in lockdown will be allowed on the basis of test positivity rate under local self-government bodies. Local bodies with below 8 per cent test positivity rate (TPR) to function normally with restrictions, the opening of shops will also be allowed,” chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Tuesday while relaxing the curbs.
More relaxations will come into effect in Kerala from Thursday, when the previous set of restrictions announced by the state government end. The relaxations are being given on the basis of test positivity rate. On June 7, the state government extended the restrictions till June 16 with complete lockdown on June 12 and June 13, Hindustan Times reported.
“Relaxation in lockdown will be allowed on the basis of test positivity rate under local self-government bodies. Local bodies with below 8 per cent test positivity rate (TPR) to function normally with restrictions, the opening of shops will also be allowed,” chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Tuesday while relaxing the curbs. He added that complete lockdown will be imposed across the state during the weekend.
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Local bodies with 8-20 per cent TPR will be under a partial lockdown and those with 20-30 per cent TPR will be under a full lockdown, Vijayan said. A triple lockdown will be imposed in areas which have a TPR higher than 30 per cent. “As of June 14, there are 147 local bodies with a TPR less than 8 per cent, 716 between 8-20 per cent, 146 in the 20-30 per cent and 25 with a TPR above 30 per cent,” the chief minister said.
Here is the list of relaxations announced by CM Vijayan:
1. Shops selling essential items will be allowed to operate daily from 7am to 7pm. On the other hand, all shops with 50 per cent staff, can operate from 7am to 7pm in areas with TPR of up to 8 per cent.
2. Central and state government offices, Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), government companies, corporations, commissions and autonomous institutions can function with 25 per cent staff on a rotational basis. The secretariat can function with 50 per cent staff on a rotational basis. Private companies can operate with 50 per cent employees.
3. Akshaya Kendras are allowed to open from Monday to Friday.
4. Banks can only operate on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
5. Public transport will be allowed on a limited basis.
6. The number of people attending marriages and funerals will continue to be limited to 20.
7. All kinds of social gatherings, public events are banned.
8. Restaurants are only allowed to do home deliveries and takeaways.
9. Kerala state Beverages Corporation (BEVCO) outlets and bars can open from 9am to 7am and slots should be booked through the app.
10. Tourism, recreation and indoor activities in crowded areas, including malls are not allowed.
11. Activities in the industrial and agricultural sector will be allowed in all local bodies and transportation will be provided to workers in these areas.
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Kerala has so far reported 2,748,204 cases and 11,508 deaths due to the Covid-19 disease. On Tuesday, 12,246 new cases were recorded while 166 more people succumbed to the viral disease. Daily recoveries continued to outnumber the fresh cases as 13,536 recovered on Tuesday, taking the cumulative figures to over 2.62 million.
Chief minister Vijayan said on Tuesday the average number of infections per day is expected to drop by 16 per cent in next week and pointed out the state’s health infrastructure was able to cope with the stress of the second wave of the pandemic as it was strengthened at various levels.
(With agency inputs)
