THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government on Wednesday announced 50 per cent attendance for employees of government offices in view of the surge in COVID-19 cases in the state. The remaining 50 per cent would work in online mode. The state government has also decided to make Saturday a holiday for government employees apart from placing more restrictions on Saturday and Sunday.
A high-level meeting headed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has also decided to strengthen the enforcement measures in the state to curb the rising cases. As part of this, more secteral officers and police personnel would be pressed into service. Education is allowed only through online mode and work from home norm has also been made compulsory for private sector staff as far as possible.
The state government would start the distribution of medicines to people above the age of 70 at their houses. Mobile Triveni stores would be pressed into service in containment zones. In areas outside the containment zones, shops are allowed to function only till 9 pm. The distribuition of essentials at houses in areas where test positivity rate (TPR) is high would begin from Thursday. The state also asked district administrations to enforce more restrictions in areas where TPR is higher than 25 per cent.