Kerala extends COVID-19 regulations till July 2021; Week-long lockdown comes into force in Thiruvananthapuram

The Kerala government has amended the State Epidemic Disease Ordinance to extend the Covid-control regulations  till July 2021. This means, people will have to wear masks, maintain social distancing and avoid large gatherings till July 2021. The District Collectors have been instructed to ensure due compliance of the regulations.

Meanwhile, the week-long stringent lockdown in Thiruvananthapuram came into force this morning. The shutdown comes after the capital city recorded 22 of the 38 Covid-19 patients who were infected through local transmission in the state yesterday. The state has been seeing a surge in coronavirus cases through unknown sources of infections, especially in the capital.

All roads, except for an entry and exit road, leading to the capital will be shut. Grocery stores, banks, medical stores, hospitals and other essential services, will be allowed. But all other non-essential services will be shut.

All public transport will be shut in the city. The state’s official headquarters, called Secretariat, will also be shut.

The shutdown will be a triple lockdown. The Lock-I will restrict movement of all people in the district. The Lock-II will be enforced in hotspots of infection, where people will be mandatorily asked to stay-at-home. And the Lock-III will be enforced in the houses of primary and secondary contacts of covid-19 patients to be in compulsory room-quarantine.