THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In what is seen as a sign of return to normalcy after months of Covid-induced restrictions, the state has decided to open up, though in a phased manner. Total lockdown on Sundays and night curfew, which were widely criticised as being impractical, have been withdrawn on the basis of the recommendations of the expert committee on Covid.
However, dine-in restrictions in hotels and restaurants have not been lifted despite repeated requests by the hotel industry and the public. To the state’s relief, the test positivity rate has been coming down steadily in the last seven days. While the rate stood at 18.76% on September 1, it was 15.87% on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Covid vaccine has protected people from serious illnesses and has also reduced the chances of hospitalisation and death, prompting the expert committee to recommend gradual easing of restrictions. However, he urged people to exercise caution as the highly contagious delta variant is still active.
Residential training centres, with students who are 18 years or above, will be allowed to function in a bio-bubble mode. However, the teachers, non-teaching staff and students should have taken at least one dose of Covid vaccine. Higher education institutions will reopen from October 4 for final-year degree and PG students.
However, the teachers, staff and students should have taken at least one dose of the vaccine. The first dose vaccination should be completed by this week and those eligible for the second dose should take it immediately, the chief minister said. Stressing the importance of academic activity for students in Class 10 and 12, the CM asked school teachers to complete vaccination by this week.
‘State agrees with HC verdict on vax dose gap’
His emphasis on classes 10 and 12 is being seen as a precursor to the reopening of schools for students of higher classes at a later stage. Pinarayi said even though it is for the Centre to decide on the duration between two doses of Covid vaccine, the state agrees with the High Court verdict that the interval between two doses of Covishield vaccine should be four weeks.
The CM announced the total number of vaccine doses administered (first and second) in the state has crossed three crore. Of these, 2.18 crore people have taken the first dose and 82 lakh have taken both. Pinarayi said Kerala’s vaccination rate was far higher than the national average. While the vaccination rate in the state is 61.73% (first dose) and 23.30% (second dose), it is 41.45% and 123.70% respectively nationally.