Kerala to relax Sunday curfews, reopen schools with full capacity

The state had been witnessing around 50,000 COVID-19 cases on many days in the past month, and had imposed a full Sunday lockdown for the past three weeks.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan
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After Kerala started showing a declining trend in the COVID-19 cases, a decision has been made to relax the Sunday curfews and reopen schools. The decision was taken after a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday, February 9.  It has been decided to reopen schools and hold classes in full capacity from February 28, up until then all classes will be held with 50% attendance.

The meeting also discussed how best could important events like Aluva Sivarathri, Maramon Convention and the famed Attukala Pongala be held with increased participation, for which a proper analysis would be done and a decision will be taken shortly. Also on the anvil is what sort of protocols should be observed as February is the month when there are festivals in temples in north Kerala districts.

Another decision that has been taken is the opening of post COVID-19 clinics across the state and Vijayan has asked the Health Department to see appropriate action is taken against private hospitals which have without proper reason given monoclonal antibody treatment to COVID-19 patients.

The state was struck by the third wave of the pandemic badly with cases touching the 50,000 mark on many days. Kerala, on Tuesday, reported 29,471 fresh COVID-19 cases and the test positivity rate was 30.86%.  While there were 46,393 recoveries, the total number of active cases for the first time in several days came down below the three lakh-mark to 2,83,676. Meanwhile, 28 COVID-19 deaths were reported on Tuesday, taking the overall death toll to 59,939.

On the vaccination front, 100% (2.68 crore) of the population have had one dose, and 85% (2.27 crore) have taken both the doses. In the 15 to 18 age group, 74% (11.17 lakh) have been inoculated with a single dose of the vaccination.

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