Thiruvananthapuram: A COVID review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took significant decisions with regards to managing crowds considering the recent surge in the number of positive cases in the state.
In addition to reintroducing online education for classes 1-9, the government has approved the work-from-home system for pregnant employees of government institutions.
Besides, all government/semi-government/cooperative institutions have been told to conduct programmes online.
There will be no weekend and night curfews. However, in places with Test Positivity Rate (TPR) over 20%, gatherings, including social, cultural and religious programmes, besides weddings and funerals, will have to be restricted to no more than 50 persons.
Special permission will have to be sought if otherwise. No public events will be allowed in places with TPR over 30%.
Businesses urged to go online
The government has suggested establishments promote online booking and sales.
Shopping malls have been told to restrict entry by limiting one person per 25 sq ft. The district administrations have been entrusted to ensure these restrictions.
Restrictions in Sabarimala
The chief minister has requested the department concerned to restrict the number of pilgrims to the Sabarimala hill shrine.
From January 16, preferences are to be given to those who booked for darshan online. The number of pilgrims will be decided later.
Kerala had registered a few COVID-19 clusters in the past few days. Over 100 students tested positive at the College of Engineering Trivandrum (CET) on Thursday. A nursing college in Pathanamthitta is facing action by authorities for not disclosing the formation of a cluster, mostly caused by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
On Thursday more than 10,000 fresh COVID-19 cases were reported across the state for the second day running. The state logged13,468 new infections and 117 deaths on Thursday.
