Kerala tightens micro-level vigil to curb Covid-19

As part of the tightening of the Covid containment measures at the micro-level, the Kerala government on Friday decided to conduct Covid tests of all people in containment zones and even administer vaccines.

There are reports that Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will reach Kerala on Monday to review the Covid situation in the state. The state now has 1.8 lakh Covid-19 active cases.

A three-day vaccination drive will be also held from August 14 to 16 in the state. So far over 44 per cent of the state's population has got at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

The state government had also decided to extend micro-level containment measures up to family dwellings. Families with more than ten members, residential complexes and streets where there are more than five Covid-19 active cases would be considered as a micro-containment zone.

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Experts had evaluated that laxity of quarantine norms by Covid-19-infected at micro-levels, including in households were also ammounting to the higher number of Covid-19 cases in Kerala despite the three-month long lockdown

A review meeting convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had decided to enhance the vaccination drive. All persons in containment zones will be subjected to a Covid-19 test, and those people negative for the virus will be vaccinated on priority. Daily vaccinations targets of 25,000 to 40,000 would be prescribed to districts, said a statement from the Chief Minister's Office.

Meanwhile, 20,452 more Covid -19 cases were reported in Kerala on Friday as the Test Positivity Rate stood at 14.35 per cent.