THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Covid restrictions have been tightened in the state in the wake of the rise in TPR. The average TPR for the last three days is 12.1 per cent. TPR is above 10 per cent in 11 districts and Malappuram has the highest TPR of 17 per cent. Only 50 per cent attendance will be allowed in state and Central government offices and other public offices in A and B categories, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said at the evening presser.
Twenty-five per cent of staff will attend office in places falling under category C. Only essential services will function in category D. Officers who have been excluded from attending office should participate in Covid control measures. District collectors should assign tasks to them.
A majority of staffers of offices in D category will be pooled for pandemic control. Places with huge spread will be considered clusters and micro containment measures will be implemented.
The chief minister said that the third wave will not occur naturally and would be a result of lapses in Covid control and vaccination. Government is trying to give at least one dose of vaccine to all people in this phase. At least 60 per cent of population should be vaccinated for achieving herd immunity.
Third wave can be avoided if Covid control measures are observed strictly. The CM said there was no scientific base for the claim that the third wave would affect children the most. Only four per cent of children have been affected so far. But considering the high prevalence of multi-system inflammatory syndrome, a post-Covid complication, among children, intensive care facilities for them are being enhanced, he said.