Kerala relaxes Covid-19 lockdown from June 17

The coronavirus-induced lockdown enforced in Kerala since May 8 will be relaxed further from June 17 as the test positivity rate (TPR) has been declining.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the total shutdown on Saturdays and Sundays would continue and stringent restrictions would be imposed at local body wards on the basis of TPR.

All government offices and institutions would be allowed to function with 25 per cent staff on a rotation basis. Private establishments would be allowed to work with 50 per cent of staff on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Industrial and agriculture activities would be allowed, while the construction sector was already exempted.

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Bars and liquor shops will be allowed to function from 9 am to 7 pm based on booking slots. Only parcel service was likely to be allowed, details of which would be announced soon.

Malls, indoor activities with gatherings, tourism and entertainment programmes would not be allowed. Maximum participation in marriages and deaths would continue to remain at 20.

Vijayan said that since lockdown was implemented in the initial stages of Covid's second wave, a major surge in the cases could be averted.

TPR in the state that went up to 27.8 per cent has now come down to 11.76 per cent.