With curbs eased, Kerala treads cautiously to normalcy
The Hindu
More vehicles ply outside critical containment zones, people queue up at Bevco outlets
Kerala on Thursday took its first baby steps towards the seemingly long road to normality after a draining second COVID-19 lockdown season that lasted 41 days. The spectre of a third wave driven by new and virulent strains of the fast mutating SARS-CoV-2 loomed, even as the State slowly opened up outside critical containment zones. A large swathe of the State fell in low spread (test positivity rate [TPR] less than 8%) and moderate spread (TPR between 8% and 20%) zones. The police scaled down their street presence, and people moved relatively freely. Travellers did not have to carry the mandatory affidavit stating their purpose of journey. Public transport buses operated minimal services with less than half the number of permitted passengers. Autorickshaws and taxies plied with a maximum of two passengers.
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