Kerala CM Vijayan announces stringent COVID 'self-lockdown' from May 4-9; guidelines here

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan informed on Friday that strict restrictions will be in place from May 4-9 as Kerala recorded another steep surge in COVID cases reported. As Kerala recorded over 38,000 new COVID cases on Thursday, CM Pinarayi Vijayan noted that despite lockdown being the last resort, the spread of the virus could not be arrested and categorically stated that only shops selling essential commodities would be allowed to operate during May 4-9 and said that the door delivery of goods should be encouraged in order to avoid contact with people. On Friday, CM Vijayan took to Twitter to inform that the new restrictions from May 4 onwards were similar to the curbs imposed during the weekend curfew and that the govt will ensure seamless transportation of Oxygen, medicines & medical equipment.

Indoor and outdoor shooting of television serials and documentaries will not be allowed, vegetable and fish market vendors should maintain two metre distance, wear double masks and gloves, CM Vijayan informed on Thursday. Police personnel have assured that there will be no problems with regard to oxygen transportation and vehicles transporting the life-saving gas cylinders, medicines and medical equipment should be marked clearly to help police identify them and ensure safe passage through traffic. Dedicated Oxygen war rooms at the state and district levels will be set up, the chief minister said, adding collectors will monitor the availability of oxygen in their respective districts.

'Impose self-lockdown': Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

'No need to rush to COVID vaccination centres' 

"There is no need to rush to Covid vaccination centres for this.The second dose of Covishield vaccine should be taken within 6 to 8 weeks and Covaxin within 4 to 6 weeks. We have been able to successfully implement early vaccination and this is the reason why the mortality rate is not rising proportionately despite the current rapid spread of the disease", CM Vijayan said, speaking about the vaccination ndrive in the state.

Kerala's COVID situation

Kerala's COVID-19 caseload crossed the 15 lakh mark on Thursday as 38,607 people, including 110 health workers, tested positive, in the highest single day surge, the state government said. The toll mounted to 5,259 with 48 more deaths. The active cases touched 2,84,086 with 21,116 people getting cured of the infection, taking the total recoveries to 12,44,301.

The total caseload soared to 15,33,984 with the addition of the fresh cases. In the last 24 hours, 1,57,548 samples were tested and the Test Positivity Rate (TPR) was 24.5 per cent. So far, 1,56,50,037 samples have been tested, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said. Of those testing positive, 300 people had come from outside the state and 35,557 were infected through contact.

Presently, 5,93,840 people are under observation, including 24,009 in hospitals. Ernakulam district, which reported the highest number of Covid cases--5,369-- today, has 47,921 people undergoing treatment for the infection.Kozhikode recorded 4,990 cases while 40,245 people are under treatment. In Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram, 28,698 and 23,000 people respectively are under treatment