Sunday lockdown, night curfews to continue in Kerala: CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Micro-lockdowns in municipal wards with a weekly infection positivity rate (WIPR) higher than 7 would also continue until next week, the CM said.

He said the new infections as part of the surge post Onam festivities were not as fearsome as expected. But, in any case, the rise in cases cannot be undermined, he added.

The state government plans to impose heavy fines on those violating quarantine rules and forcibly subject them to institutional quarantine at their own expenses for two weeks.

At a recent review meeting, the chief minister had advised local body councils to strengthen and activate the ward-level committees and rapid response teams to monitor those staying in isolation at home. A lowering of alertness and guard in the past few weeks had led to surge in cases, he observed.

The health department also intends to run mass vaccination camps in local bodies reporting low vaccination numbers. While there’s a shortage in both Covishield and Covaxin supplies in the state currently, additional supplies are expected to arrive next week.

Though there are cases of breakthrough infections, incidents of deterioration of condition of vaccinated persons are rare, the CM said. Hence, all those above the age of 45 and suffering from comorbidities must get both doses of the vaccine quickly, he said.

Of the eligible population above the age of 18, 75 percent of them have received at least one dose and 27 percent have got both doses in the state. The health department plans to inoculate everyone above the age of 18 with atleast one dose by end of September.