Omicron scare: Kerala imposes restrictions on number of people attending functions

Keeping in view the rising number of cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the Kerala government on Tuesday issued a slew of directions to contain its spread, including restricting the number of attendees to various cultural and social functions.

The COVID-19 evaluation meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has decided to restrict the number of people who can attend marriages, funerals, political, social and cultural events in a closed room to 75.

The Chief Minister's Office said the number of people who can attend such functions in open areas have been limited to 150.

"The testing for symptomatic people who come from other countries will be strengthened. Currently, there are 181 Omicron cases in the state," the CMO release said.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister also asked the officials to expedite action on applications for financial assistance to those families that suffered COVID-19 deaths.

The release also stated that 80 per cent of people in Kerala have received COVID-19 vaccination. It also said two per cent of the 15.43 lakh students in the state also received inoculation.