Kerala: Control rooms to help migrant labourers will be set up in all districts (File)
Announcing stringent curbs to control the unprecedented coronavirus surge, the Kerala government has ordered that cinema halls, malls, gyms, sports complexes, swimming pools and bars in the state will remain shut indefinitely. The Pinarayi Vijayan government has said all social, political, cultural and religious gatherings will also remain banned until further orders.
The government said only essential and emergency services will be allowed on Saturdays and Sundays. It said Saturdays will remain a holiday for all government officials until further order.
Marriages will have to be completed within 2 hours with not more than 50 guests. Only 20 people will be allowed at funerals.
Shops and restaurants will have be closed by 7.30 pm, but home deliveries can continue till 9 pm.
"All shops/restaurants shall minimise interaction with customers...Only bare minimum time will be allowed for the customers in shops. Takeaways and home deliveries may be encouraged," the statement added.
Control rooms to help migrant labourers will be set up in all districts.
Religious places will remain open. However, no more than 50 people must be present at any given time inside the premises of religious places.
On May 2, all officials on the vote-counting duty must either be vaccinated with both the doses or should be carrying Covid-negative certificates not older than 72 hours.
All agricultural, industrial and construction activities will be allowed with Covid-appropriate behaviour.
India has been logging over three lakh daily coronavirus cases for several days amid the rapid second wave of infections. On Monday, it reported 3.52 lakh fresh cases and over 2,800 deaths in 24 hours.
Kerala, which reported 21,890 Covid cases and 28 deaths today, is one of the worst-affected states.