Covid-19: Only essential services, travel allowed today in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 24-hour lockdown-like restrictions have come into place from midnight. Only essential travels will be allowed on Sunday for which the people will have to declare a self-attested affidavit before the police.
Shops selling essential commodities like groceries, medicines, milk, meat and fruits can open from 7am to 9pm. However, dining-in will not be allowed in hotels, bakeries and restaurants.Only parcel services will be allowed here. Bars, Bevco and Consumerfed outlets, theatres, and shopping malls are not allowed to open. Those working on Sundays can travel, provided they produce their ID cards to the police. The police will be intensifying checking at all strategic points and those violating the restrictions will be fined and cases will be registered.
Police said that people arriving at railway stations, bus stands or airports can travel, but they will have to produce the tickets at the checking points. The people who have booked resorts or hotels can also travel after producing the booking details.
Workshops have been allowed to open for emergency services. KSRTC will operate emergency services in the city, MC road and national highways. But there will be no regular service in all the routes. Police will allow people, who want to go to hospitals for emergency cases, people who are going for Covid vaccinations and also their bystanders, to travel.
All pre-planned functions can be held with a maximum participation of 20 people. This will be applicable for marriages and also funerals. Candidates going for examinations should produce the hall tickets at the checking points.
Special casual leave
The state government has cancelled the special casual leave given for those coming in the direct contact list of Covid-positive people. Government employees had the privilege of taking seven-day special casual leave if they became primary contacts. This has now been withdrawn.
As per the new directions issued, those coming in contact with Covid-positive people should report the matter at the workplace, monitor themselves and maintain social distance. Those with symptoms should take necessary action as per directions from the state health department, said the order issued by the chief secretary.