Sunday lockdown comes in effect in Kerala; only emergency services allowed

The one-day lockdown to mitigate the rapid spread of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kerala began on Sunday with only emergency services being operated in the state.

A high-level COVID review meeting had on Thursday decided that only essential services should be allowed on the two Sundays --January 23 and 30.

Shops selling essential items such as milk, newspaper, fish, meat, fruits and vegetables and provisions are allowed to function from 7 AM to 9 PM.

Most of the private vehicles kept away from the road except for those who were traveling for emergency purposes and that too after providing necessary documents proving the nature of emergency to the police.

Those who are traveling to airports or already booked tourist destinations can travel after showing necessary documents including tickets to the police officers who are engaged in vehicle checking across the state.

Only parcel services are allowed at hotels and medical stores, media houses and telecom-Internet services are allowed to function despite curbs.

Kerala had on Saturday reported 45,136 new positive cases taking the total affected in the state to 55,74,702. The state had on Thursday logged 46,387 cases, the highest single day spike since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020.