The government of Tamil Nadu extended the state-wide lockdown by one more week till 6 am, June 7 as per the latest announcement by Chief Minister MK Stalin. The decision to extend the lockdown was taken after the Chief Minister held meetings with medical experts and senior ministers in the government and after assessing the spread of coronavirus in the state. The current lockdown, which came into force on May 24, is scheduled to end on May 31.
According to a press release, vegetables and fruits will continue to be sold in mobile vans. The government has also permitted grocery shops to sell provisions and food grains in mobile vans in the nearby areas with the permission of the local authorities. The government also said that the delivery of groceries through online mode will also be permitted from 7 am to 6 pm every day. The state government has also ordered that a relief kit consisting of 13 grocery items be distributed to all the rice ration cardholders through the local ration shops. All the other restrictions currently in place will continue, the release added.
Though there is an extension on the lockdown, there will not be any restriction on medical services, pharmacies and vaccination in the state. At present, all other shops are not permitted to open and restaurants are allowed only takeaway. Tea shops are also not allowed to function, as per the current lockdown restrictions.
As far as the COVID-19 situation is concerned, the number of fresh cases in Chennai is on the decline by the day while the number of cases in other districts like Coimbatore, Erode, Tiruppur, Trichy, Madurai etc is still high. The government of Tamil Nadu recently deputed three officers from Chennai to Coimbatore, Erode and Tirupur to monitor work being done by the district administration to bring the spread of the virus under control.