Altered COVID-19 strategy likely from Tuesday

Govt. to review Sunday lockdown and night curfew

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said the government would on Tuesday weigh an altered course of action to bridle COVID-19 and restore the economy at a stroke. The night curfew (10 p.m. to 6 a.m.) and Sunday lockdown would continue till then. He said restoring normality was the government’s uppermost priority. Kerala had to learn to live with COVID-19. The pandemic was likely to linger well after the State achieved 100% vaccination. Blunting the pandemic was expected to be a long haul. Kerala should prepare for it. It should not slide back into pre-COVID era complacency. The mask and physical distancing mandate would endure. Mr. Vijayan mooted hyper-local surveillance by neighbourhood watch groups and local self-government officials to ensure infected persons remained effectively quarantined. Those who broke quarantine would risk a heavy fine and prosecution. The police would forcibly move them to government shelters. The administration would charge the violators for bread, board, and medicine.