Kerala Government Relaxes Lockdown Curbs; Shops To Stay Open 6 Days

Health Minister Veena George urged the shops and business establishments to make special arrangements to avoid the rush and ensure social distancing in their premises on account of festival season.

The Kerala government on Wednesday announced an easing of the lockdown curbs, imposed in the state in view of the spread of COVID-19. Health Minister Veena George, who made a statement in this regard in the state Assembly, said it would be a triple lockdown for shops located in an area, where over 10 of the 1000 people of the population are infected in a week. "In other places, shops will be allowed to operate six days in a week considering the current general situation in the state and the progress of the vaccination," she said, adding that it can function from 7 am till 9 pm. Shops would remain open and curbs would be eased on August 15 and 22 though the days fall on Sunday, considering the Independence Day and the Onam festival rush respectively, she said.