COVID-19 awareness along with Adhan in Kerala mosques

While many religious centres were reportedly violating the lockdown directives to prevent COVID-19 spread, a couple of mosques in Kerala are even giving awareness messages about coronavirus along with the regular Adhan, the Islamic prayer call.

Many mosque committees are also actively involved in awareness among the community members through social media groups and even door to door campaign.

A mosque at Pulikkal and another mosque at Aroor, both in Malappuram district in North Kerala, have been giving awareness messages about COVID-19 along with Adhan, which is performed five times a day. Advice to people to remain at home, ensure hygiene and to seek medical attention in case of any sorts of symptoms were being given. Being a district with a high NRI population, messages to strictly follow health workers' advice to remain in quarantine to those who recently returned from aboard was also being carried out.

Kerala State Waqf Board chief executive officer B M Jamal said all prominent jammaath leaders were advised that apart from ensuring that the lockdown norms were strictly followed in mosques the committees should also do possible steps in fighting COVID-19.

Saifuddin Haji, a secretary of the Kerala Muslim Jamaath, said that many jamaaths have set up help desks for the members to seek assistance like delivering medicines. Also, social media groups of all members were formed for sharing advisories and useful information. Some members were also conducting house visits with police permission to ensure the welfare of the members, he said.