A task force of experts constituted by the Kerala government has recommended step by step waiver of coronavirus Lockdown measures after 14th April, which will continue until mid- May. During this period, the newly infected people of COVID-19 will be closely monitored in the state. The 17 member task force led by former Chief Secretary KM Abraham submitted its report to chid=ef Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday. It recommends that the movement of people along international and interstate borders should be stopped until the situation in the state becomes normal.
The panel has recommended a phased waiver, ending the lockdown on 14th April. In the first phase, there will be exemption for those districts where no more than one new case has been reported from April 27 to April 13. Also, there should be not more than 10% increase in the number of people kept in home quarantine, apart from this there should not be any hotspot. Each phase will have a fixed duration.
The second phase will cover those districts where there has not been more than one case of COVID-19 in full time since the review and the number of people under home quarantine has not increased by more than 5 percent. The third phase will cover those districts where no new cases have been reported and more than 5 percent reduction in the number of people placed in home quarantine during that time. In all three phases, care willl be taken that there is no hotspot in any district.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that he will submit the recommendations of the task force to the center. Vijayan sai, “the state is awaiting the decision of the central government on lockdown after April 14. Only after this, the state will decide if any change is needed in it.
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Rail services will be suspended in the first phase
According to the report, airline and rail services will not run in the state in the first phase. No person from outside Kerala will enter the state. No person will be allowed outside the house without a face mask and senior citizens won’t be allowed to leave the house. The number of passengers traveling by vehicle will be curbed.
Apart from this, one person from each house will be able to leave the house for the necessary work for three hours only. Supermarkets and malls, movie theatres, bars, conference halls and hotels with closed air conditioning cannot open. Also, all places of worship will remain closed. Private vehicles will be allowed for six days based on the odd-even patter, with full lockdown on Sunday, excluding essential services.
Rules of social distancing have to be followed
In the second phase, short-distance services may be allowed with restrictions on the number of passengers. MNREGA and all micro, small and medium enterprises can be resumed with health protocols at this time. In the third phase, inter-district bus services and necessary domestic flights will be introduced but it will have to follow the rules of social distancing.
Universities and educational institutions will only open for conduction examinations, while malls and hotels may operate but with restricted entry. There will be a ban on international flights until the situation becomes normal in the state. Every person entering the state will have to stay in the self-quarantine for 4 days in collaboration with the district administration, health department, and police department.