On Monday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that Kerala will be under lock down till March 31 to check the spread of the coronavirus.
What does this lockdown mean for you? Let's take a look.
Will it affect essential services?
• All essential shops will be open from 7am to 5pm. (In Kasaragod, this will be from 11am to 5pm).
• Milk and paper have been included in the list of essential services and will be available.
• Medical shops can function 24 hours. All hospitals too will remain open and run as usual.
• Drinking water services will not be stalled.
• Banks will be operational from 11am until 2pm.
• Restaurants will not serve food, but parcels and home deliveries are permitted.
Will it impact transport services?
• Public transport will be stopped. Private buses too will not ply.
• Autorickshaws and taxi services will run as usual.
• Petrol pumps and LPG gas stations will operate as usual.
• Private vehicles are allowed restricted movements after detailed checks.
• State borders will be closed.
What will remain open and what won't?
• Employees of all private and IT firms should preferrably work from home. They have also been advised to not use shared transport to commute.
• Government offices will open only after observing strict checks.
• Temples, mosques and churches to suspend all services.
• Bars will remain closed. However, Bevco outlets will remain open under strict surveillance.
What are penalties for violations?
• If those under observation are found venturing outside, they will be arrested. Fines will be imposed on them. Their phone location data will be traced. Community vigil will be encouraged.
• Anyone found loitering on the streets will be arrested. Movement is not restricted, but social distancing must be adhered to without fail.
• Groups/huddles on streets and public places have been banned.
• In places were large number of people are expected to gather, Section 144 will be imposed.
Other measures taken:
• Special dedicated hospitals will be arranged in each district for COVID-19 patients.
• All financial institutions must take necessary steps to ensure that currency notes and coins are sanitized. The state will seek help from Reserve Bank to facilitate this.
• All flight passengers will be moved to an isolation ward near the airport for tests. District collectors and Health Ministry officials will oversee the task.
• Special camps will be set up to lodge workers from other states.
• Those coming from other states will be under strict observation for 14 days.
• Those coming from abroad must inform their details with the government officials.
Collectors have also been urged to ensure that all directives as issued by the state are adhered to.
