Kerala announces more relaxations: Theatres to open with 50% occupancy from Oct 25

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Movie theatres and indoor stadiums in Kerala will be allowed to function from October 25. The government also announced certain other relaxations after the high-level Covid review meeting chaired by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday.

The staffers and visitors at cinema halls should have taken both doses of the Covid vaccine. Entry will be limited to fifty per cent of the seating capacity. Colleges can conduct all classes beginning October 18. The teachers, other staffers and students must have taken both doses. Training centres can also start classes on the day.

Entry to various institutions in the state will be limited to people who have taken both doses of the vaccine. The covid negative certificate is not necessary.

Pre-matric hostels and model residential schools will function in the bio bubble model from November 1, the day when all schools reopen. Staffers should have taken both doses.

The upper ceiling on the number of people attending marriage and funeral functions has been raised to 50. Grama Sabha meetings can be conducted with a maximum of fifty persons. Participants should maintain social distancing. CFLTCs and CSLTCs should be shifted from colleges, college hostels and schools. Teachers designated for Covid duty can be recalled and replaced with volunteers.

The chief minister called for precautions and doctors' surveillance at schools. "Apprehensions are quite natural. Other normal ailments in children can be mistaken as Covid-19," he said.

The CM said government hospitals will be given a sufficient number of antigen kits. The seroprevalence survey among children is complete. Directions for school reopening will be issued soon. Arrangements are being made for the distribution homoeo preventive medicine to children.