With the number of daily Covid cases showing a significant decline these past days, the Kerala government is likely to consider allowing more relaxations once the state-wide lockdown comes to an end on June 16.
Earlier, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said that the State could only allow relaxations once the test positivity rate (TPR) falls below 10.
The government had also imposed a total lockdown on the weekend to curb the spread of the virus.
The restrictions will be akin to that of a triple lockdown. Only a handful of shops and services deemed essential will be permitted to open on the two days.
After days of hovering around the 15-mark, State is expecting the TPR to go below 10 this week. As of Saturday, the TPR in Kerala is 12.72.
The relaxations likely to come into effect from June 17 include allowing autorickshaws and taxi services, workshops and hairdressing salons to function.
Discussions are also on over easing the norms in sectors, including construction, on which many depend for their livelihood.
However, there has been no official announcement from the government regarding this.
The Department of Health has observed that the strict lockdown norms have caused several problems in daily life besides denying income to many, leading to increased anxiety among people.
Doctors’ organizations initially had been demanding that the lockdown should continue till the TPR dips below five per cent. But senior officials, considering the socio-economic impact of the shutdown, viewed that the State could not keep extending the lockdown till the TPR goes below five.
The State has been under lockdown since May 8.
Total lockdown ends today
Police registered 5,346 cases and arrested 2,003 people for violating the weekend total lockdown norms on Saturday. As many as 3,645 vehicles were confiscated.
Only those in the essential service sector and health workers were exempted from the triple lockdown-like restrictions, which will continue on Sunday also.
Parcel service has been suspended in restaurants, which could offer home delivery options.
Hotels, restaurants, bakeries, shops and establishments selling food items, groceries, fruits and vegetables, fish, meat, dairy products could function from 7 am to 7 pm.
Toddy shops could also function during this time.
KSRTC has suspended its long-distance schedules on Saturday and Sunday. The lockdown will continue with normal restrictions from Monday.
Strict action will be taken against those who wander needlessly or gather in crowds, the Kerala Police has warned.
The Police has set up checkpoints at strategic locations in each city to ensure that lockdown restrictions are followed.
Containment zones in the state will be cut off completely. To ensure that people remain in their homes here, the Police will use drones.
All essential items will be brought to each home, the Police said.
Restrictions & relaxations:
• Central-state offices in the essential service category and corporations can function.
• Industries, companies and other institutions falling under the essential services category can function round-the-clock. Their employees should carry their identity card.
• Travel permission for officials of telecom, internet companies and the vehicles of these institutions.
• Patients seeking medical care, their bystanders and those travelling to and from vaccination centres should keep their identity card.
• Shops selling groceries, food, fruits, and vegetables; milk booths, shops selling fish and meat, and toddy shops can function from 7am to 7pm. Home delivery will also be allowed.
• Parcels will NOT be allowed for restaurants and bakeries. However, home delivery is permitted. Timing from 7am to 7pm.
• The KSRTC will not operate long-distance bus services. Train-flight services will operate. Private vehicles, taxis, and public transport can take passengers home from airports and railway stations. Travel documents should be produced.
• Wedding, house-warming and other ceremonies should be registered on the Covid Jagratha portal. Functions should be held following the Covid protocol with a limited number of people.
• Those in the construction sector can work following Covid protocols. The nearest police station should be informed in advance.
• The Police will charge criminal cases against those violating Covid protocols and quarantine norms. Families who aid this too will be charged, the Police warned.
