Thiruvananthapuram: The state government is likely to tighten local restrictions again as the spread of Covid-19 infection has been found to be increasing after lockdown relaxations were announced in Kerala nearly a fortnight ago.
The experts have recommended that strict restrictions should be imposed in the local bodies with Test Positivity Rate (TPR) above 15 per cent. Lockdown-like restrictions should be imposed in areas with TPR between 10-15 per cent. Relaxations will be allowed only in local bodies with TPR below 5 per cent.
A decision will be taken on this during the Covid review meeting chaired by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday. The final decision will be taken after taking into account the crisis in the employment sector.
Currently, curbs similar to triple lockdown have been imposed in local bodies with TPR above 24 per cent. With relaxations allowed in other local bodies, the disease transmission has been on the rise, finds the health department assessment.
Unsteady TPR
The state-level positivity rate has been above 10 per cent over for the past one week. The TPR, which was 9.63 per cent on June 21, increased to an average of 10.4 per cent. Though it was estimated that the TPR would drop below 7 per cent within a week, this did not happen; hence, the curbs are being tightened.
The TPR has increased to 13.7 per cent in Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, and Kannur districts. The number of fresh Covid cases has increased by 30 per cent in Kannur, Kasaragod, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Palakkad, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts.
The number of people under treatment also increased in Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts.
The national average of TPR was 2.97 per cent last week.
Relaxations back from today
After yet another complete lockdown during the weekend in the state, the previously announced relaxations will continue as usual from Monday.
The relaxations and restrictions are being imposed at the local level depending on the TPR. Relaxations have been allowed after categorising the local bodies into four. Relaxations have been allowed for A and B categories where the TPR is below 16 per cent. Lockdown and triple lockdown in areas with a TPR over 16 per cent.
The relaxations are:
•Shops selling essential and food items will open from 7am to 7pm.
•Food will be sold in parcels at hotels and restaurants. Online booking and home delivery of food will be allowed from 7am to 7pm. Dine-in will not be allowed.
•Banks and financial institutions will function on Monday. Though these will function on Tuesday as well, public are not permitted entry.
•KSRTC and private buses to operate services.
•Akshaya centres to function as usual.
•Only parcels from toddy shops. The liquor outlets of Beverages Corporation will remain open.
