KOCHI: March 2020 was one of the most bizarre months of all our lives. Coronavirus made its way to India and Kerala, changing the world as we know it forever. While most of you were at home praying for the catastrophe to pass, the press had its eyes and ears open. In March 2021, the first anniversary of country-wide lockdown, we look back at sights to cherish, fear and preserve
2021 Jan 16- India started the vaccination programme
Vaccine distribution in Kerala
2021 January 12- Centre officially announces the delivery of 4,33,500 doses of Covid Vaccine for Kerala in first phase.
People registered - 3,68,866
Distribution centres- 133
Ernakulam- 12
Trivandrum- 11
Kozhikode- 11
Other districts- 9 each
Daily vaccination per centre- 100
Daily vaccination across the state - 13,300 people
Between Jan 2 and Jan8 2021 - Dry run was successfully completed
2021 January 13- The first batch of Covishield arrives in Kerala.
2021 March 02 - Health Minister KK Shailaja got the first shot of Covid Vaccine
2021 March 03- Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan got the first shot of Covid vaccine
2021 March 1- The second phase of Covid-19 vaccination began in Kerala
The state’s health department has announced that those aged 60 years and above and others aged between 45 and 59 with a medical condition can register during the second phase.
An estimated 50 lakh people are eligible to get vaccinated during the second phase.
Who will be vaccinated in January- July?
All healthcare workers including those practising modern machine
AYUSH & homeopathy in the government and medical hospitals
All medical student, including paramedics,nursing, dental
Anganwadi workers
Police, homeguard, cleaning personnels, including muncipal workers
All persons above the age of 50
Below 50 years, with serious health issues.
2020 Aug 28- Trial started
2020 Sept 8- Trial halted due to safety concerns
2020 Oct 23- Trial restarted
70.42% efficacy reported
2020 DeC 30- UK grants permission for emergency use
2021 Jan 16- Vaccination commences in India
The lockdown Timeline
January 30: First confirmed case of coronavirus reported from Kerala. The patient was among the four Malayali medical students who returned from China’s Wuhan and admitted to the Thrissur General Hospital.
February 2: Kerala confirms the second case of coronavirus in another student from Wuhan. The patient admitted to Alappuzha Medical College Hospital.
February 4: Kerala government declares coronavirus state calamity after confirmation of the third case in Kannur.
February 11: The disease caused by the virus gets an official name: Covid-19.
February 13: Second Covid-19 patient from Kerala discharged from Alappuzha Medical College Hospital, thereby becoming the first patient in India to recover from the illness fully.
February 19: Test results of India’s first patient return negative. She was discharged from the Thrissur Medical College Hospital
March 10: All mass gatherings banned in Kerala. Classes up to seventh grade suspended in all schools.
March 11: WHO declares coronavirus a pandemic.
March 14: Central government declares Covid-19 a ‘notified disaster’.
March 15: Kerala government launches ‘Break the Chain’ campaign to ensure hand hygiene.
March 16: Union government orders all institutions, shopping malls, theatres, gyms shut until March 31.
March 22: India observes ‘Janata curfew’
March 23: After 30 new cases were reported, Kerala announces a lockdown till March 31 to contain the virus.
March 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces a 21-day lockdown to contain the spread of the disease.
March 28: First Covid-19 death recorded in Kerala. Yakub Hussain Sait, 69, died at the Ernakulam Medical College.
April 1: Kerala starts the distribution of free ration. Free foodgrain, 30kg for priority cardholders and 15kg for non-priority members, are distributed through 14,250 retail outlets across the state
April 14: India’s lockdown extended to May 3 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid rising number of Covid-19 cases
April 30: Face masks made mandatory in Kerala
May 1: India extends lockdown for the third time to May 17. Activities permitted according to the risk-profiling of districts into red, orange and green zones
May 7: India’s massive repatriation mission dubbed Vande Bharat Mission begins.
May 15: Kerala does away with the zonal classification of districts based on Covid-19 spread.
May 21: Kerala reports fifth Covid-19 casualty, Mumbai-returnee dies in Thrissur hospital.
June 5: Kerala crosses the dreaded three-digit mark to touch 111 new cases
June 8: Unlock 1.0 starts; Government offices become fully functional in Kerala.
July 1: India enters Unlock 2.0
July 14: Kerala reports 608 cases, including 396 infections through contact
July 22: The number of CovidD-19 cases recorded in Kerala in a single day crossed 1000 for the first time
July 28: The Covid-19 tally crossed the milestone 20,000-mark in Kerala
Aug 1: Unlock 3.0 starts
Aug 16: With 10 deaths, the Covid-19 death toll crosses 150 marks in Kerala.
Aug 19: Kerala’s Covid-19 tally breached the 50,000-mark
Sept 1: Unlock 4.0 begins
Sept 6: Kerala’s daily Covid-19 cases crosses 3,000 for the first time with 3,082 new infections.
Sept 11: Kerala reported more than 1 lakh cases so far and the COVID-19 death toll crossed the 400-mark.
Oct 1: Unlock 5.0 commences and total Covid-19 cases reported in Kerala crossed two lakh on the day with 8,135 new cases.
Oct 7: Kerala’s single-day Covid case count crosses 10,000 for the first time with 10,606 new cases.
Oct 13: Kerala’s Covid-19 case count crossed 3 lakh and reached 3,03,896 with the state reporting 8,764 fresh cases. The number of recoveries also crossed the 2 lakh-mark and rose to 2,07,357.
Nov 3: Kerala’s Covid-19 case count reached 4,51,130, with the state reporting 6,862 fresh cases.
Jan 1: Schools partially reopen