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Kerala has announced that 50 per cent of its employees will work from home (WFH) by turn while the rest would be at the disposal of the district administrations to fight the second wave of the pandemic. Saturday (April 24) has been declared a holiday while more restrictions will apply on Sunday.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reiterated that while no desperate measures such as state-wide lockdown will be declared nor public movement completely banned, a series of restrictions will apply. Weddings and housewarming functions may be allowed but with attendance of a maximum of 75 persons.
Public holiday on Saturday
A high-level meeting presided by the Chief Minister of the outgoing government decided to appeal to the private sector that it should also declare work from home for employees. Saturday (April 24) will be a holiday for not just for government offices but also for public sector and cooperative institutions.
But higher secondary examinations will be held as per schedule on Saturday. All educational institutions will conduct online classes only from hereon. Tuition classes and summer camps must wind up. Covid-19 protocols will be strictly enforced in public parks and beaches.
Night-time restrictions on movement will continue to hold without affecting distribution of food booked online. At least one Covid First Line Treatment Centre (CFLTC) will be ensured at the taluk-level. This number will be raised in accordance with what the evolving situation demands, the Chief Minister said.
Task force set up
Relief efforts would be launched on a war-footing in those areas where the test positivity rate (TPR) exceeds 35 per cent. A state-wide task force headed by the Chief Secretary will review the situation on the Covid-19 front regularly.
The government will soon confer with private sector hospital management to explore ways of involving them on a deeper extent in the Covid-19 treatment and mitigation efforts. An all-party meeting will be called to discuss ways to check crowding on May 2 when Assembly election results are announced.
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