Tamil Nadu Extends Covid Lockdown Till June 14, Identifies 11 Hotspots

Tamil Nadu lockdown: The public has been advised to make purchases from the neighbourhood shops and avoid stepping out of home.

The COVID-19 lockdown in Tamil Nadu has been extended for another week, Chief Minister MK Stalin announced on Saturday as the government announced two sets of relaxations for 11 hotspot districts and the rest of the state. The lockdown, set to end on Monday, will now be in place till June 14. Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Karur, Namakkal, Tanjore, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai make up the hotspot districts where restriction will continue due to high rate of infection. In the rest of the state, standalone grocery provision stores will be allowed to function from 6am to 5 pm. However, the fish markets and slaughter houses will be allowed only for wholesale and are to be shifted to open areas to ensure social distancing, a key facet in keeping the virus at bay. The public has been advised to make purchases from the neighbourhood shops and avoid stepping out of home. They have also been asked to limit the use of personal vehicles.