Thiruvananthapuram: More concessions will come into effect in the state from today after the weekend lockdown. According to the covid positivity rate (TPR), regulation and exemptions are at the local level. The exemption has been given to four local bodies. Exemptions are in categories A and B (below TPR 16). The above is lockdown and triple lockdown. Banks can operate every day but will not be open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
* Hours of selling groceries will open from 7 am to 7 pm
* Dining in hotels and restaurants is not allowed. Parcel, online / home delivery only. Hours are 7 am to 7 pm.
* Banks and financial institutions will operate today. It will work tomorrow but will not be open to the public.
* There will be KSRTC and private bus services.
* Akshaya Kendras and Janasevana Kendras will function as usual.
* Parcel only in toddy shops. Liquor stores of the Beverages Corporation will also be opened.
At the same time, local restrictions will be tightened again in the assessment that covid expansion is on the rise after easing the lockdown. Experts have suggested stricter controls in local bodies with test positive rates above 15. Lockdown at 10–15 should have similar restrictions. Exemptions will be given only in local bodies below TPR 5. The decision will be taken at the covid review meeting to be attended by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The final decision will also assess the crisis in the employment sector.
Currently, the positivity rate is similar to the triple lockdown control in local bodies above 24. According to the Department of Health, the spread of covid is increasing with the granting of concessions to other local bodies. The state-wide positivity rate has remained above 10 for about a week. The TPR, which stood at 9.63 on the 21st, later rose to an average of 10.4. The conditions are being tightened again as the calculation that it will be below 7 in a week is wrong. Last week’s national average was only 2.97%.
