Thiruvananthapuram: The COVID-19 review meeting chaired by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday decided that classes for standards 1 to 9 would return to the online mode for two weeks starting from January 21. The contact classes have been suspended in view of the rising numbers in COVID-19 cases. However, students of classes 10, 11 and 12 should reach the schools for regular classes as usual.
Meanwhile, the health and education departments would organise vaccination camps at the schools for these students. The guidelines regarding the functioning of the schools are likely to be published on January 17.
The decision about continuing the restrictions at schools would be reviewed again in the second week of February. The principals and head teachers have been granted the right to close the educational institutions for two weeks in case COVID-19 clusters are reported.
Curbs in offices, public places
The government has also announced the various restrictions and protocols that need to be followed at the government offices and public places.
Government officials who are pregnant can opt for work–from- home.
Meanwhile, all the official programmes and meetings of the government, quasi government, public sector and cooperative sectors should be held online.
The number of attendees at the weddings and funerals in the districts that register an average Total Positivity Rate (TPR) of over 20% for consecutive three days have been restricted to 50. Similarly, the number of attendees for various social, cultural and religious events in these districts too shouldn’t cross 50. Special permission is required in case a greater number of people are supposed to attend an event.
Public events aren’t allowed in places where the TPR crosses 30%. Shopping malls should restrict entry to just one person in 25 sqft. The district administrations should ensure that these protocols are being strictly followed. All shops should encourage online booking and sale and home delivery.
The review meeting observed that the COVID-19 situation has become severe in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam districts. The police, local self-government and revenue departments would get the details about vital information including the TPR through the ‘Covid-19 Jagratha’ portal — https://covid19jagratha.kerala.nic.in — of the health department. The Chief Minister has instructed the district collectors to impose necessary restrictions by finding out clusters based on this information.
Request to postpone Sabarimala pilgrimage
Messages would be sent to those who have booked online for Sabarimala pilgrimage, requesting them to postpone the journey, from Sunday onwards.