Kerala extends lockdown till June 9 with new guidelines

Thiruvananthapuram, May 29 (UNI) Kerala has extended the lockdown in the state till June 9 and the new guidelines will come into effect from May 31.

Announcing the decision, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said “Although the prevalence of the disease is declining significantly in the state, we have not yet reached a stage to remove restrictions. The lockdown will continue in all districts from May 31 to June 9.”

The average test positivity rate (TPR) in the State for the last three days is less than 20% in all the districts except Thiruvananthapuram (20.21%) and Palakkad (23.86%).

In Malappuram district, the TPR has decreased from a peak of 31.53% on May 23 to 17.25%. In this context, the triple lockdown in the district will be withdrawn from May 30 but lockdown will continue.

There are 212 LSG bodies in the state with TPR above 30% and 17 with TPR above 50%. Special inspections will be carried out at these local bodies.

As per the new lockdown guidelines, some concessions will be given to perform essential activities. All industrial establishments (including coir, cashew, etc.) can function with minimum employees not exceeding 50% of total strength.

Shops and units supplying raw materials (including packaging) to industrial establishments may be open till 5.00 pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Banks will remain open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with extended timings till 5 pm.

Shops selling education books, textiles for weddings, jewellery and footwear will be open till 5 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Toddy sale will be allowed in parcels, following the Covid protocol.

The Chief Minister informed that more vaccine stock is expected in the first week of June and the vaccination drive will be intensified as per the availability.

“We intend to do maximum vaccinations by June 15. Vaccination of inmates of old-age homes, those above 45 years of age in tribal colonies and bedridden patients will be done as soon as possible.”

He said 23,513 new cases of Covid-19 were detected in Kerala today from 1,41,759 sample tests in the last 24 hours with a test positivity rate of 16.59%.

Meanwhile, 198 recent deaths were confirmed today as caused by Covid and the related death toll in the state is now 8,455. Today, 28,100 patients have recovered from the disease and at present, there are 2,33,034 active cases in the State. Malappuram district still has the highest number of 3,990 new positive cases.

“One of the main objectives behind the lockdown was to bring down the number of active cases in the state below 2.5 lakhs, thus keeping the number of patients that can be accommodated by our healthcare system,” the CM said.

“We could avoid a crisis that the second wave of Covid created in other parts of the country. There is no shortage of ICU beds, ventilators and oxygen. We could provide necessary treatment to all those who got infected in Kerala. The number of hospitalised patients and the test positivity rate must further reduce in order to announce unlocking,” he said.

“Use of ICU beds should be less than 60% (currently 70%) and the average TPR for three consecutive days should be less than 15% (presently 18%). At the same time, there should be a seven-day reduction in the total number of active cases and the number of new cases,” he said.

“The lockdown will be withdrawn only when all of these criteria are met. Otherwise, the spread will increase and go out of control resulting in more deaths,” the CM added.

He also informed that vaccine companies have shown interest in setting up their vaccine manufacturing units on the premises of the Life Science Park of the Institute of Virology.