Thiruvananthapuram: In view of the rising numbers of Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan directed that the number of attendees at weddings and funerals be limited to a maximum of 50 people.
The decision was taken at the COVID-19 review meeting chaired by the chief minister, a state government release said.
Last week the government had directed that the number of people at marriages, funerals, political, social and cultural events in closed rooms be restricted to 75 and in open spaces to 150. Now in the latest decision, it has been further reduced to 50 without specifying whether it is for closed rooms or open spaces or both.
Strict curbs will be imposed on all public and private gatherings.
In the meeting, it was also decided that reunions, ceremonies, and general social, political, cultural and community events should be conducted online, except in urgent situations, the release said.
Precautions, including physical distancing, should be taken when conducting events with physical attendance and if possible, public meetings should be avoided, it said.
Offices should consider operating with work-from-home option wherever possible, the guidelines stated.
No weekend or night curfew will be imposed in the current situation.
Schools and other educational institutions will continue in the current offline mode until further notice. A decision on closure of schools will be taken at the next review meeting.
The latest surge in COVID-19 cases is attributed to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Kerala reported 6,238 new COVID cases and 2,390 recoveries on Sunday. With this, the number of active COVID-19 cases in the state rose to 34,902.
Directions were also issued to the Department of Health and Education to ensure that vaccinations for students over the age of 15 are completed this week itself, the release said and added that that the departments were considering carrying out vaccinations at educational institutions also.
Kudumbasree elections and gram sabhas can be conducted by following COVID norms like maintaining social distancing, the CM said in the meeting.
He also directed that the telemedicine system should be implemented as well and that awareness programs should be conducted in connection with Omicron, the release said.
(With PTI inputs)
