Video of people in Kerala maintaining ‘social distancing’ outside liquor stores goes viral

Despite the closure of most establishments in the state, alcohol stores are still open but people are forced to stay away from each other while standing in the queue.

By: Trends Desk

New Delhi | Updated: March 20, 2020 06:21 PM IST

4 min read

Customers were seen queuing up in front of liquor shops to buy alcohol but maintaining a strict gap as lines were drawn on the ground to guide them.

As people around the globe are urged to practice social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19, photos and a video of people in Kerala showing others how to ‘break the chain’ even while standing in a queue is being shared widely. A video showing people maintaining a one-metre gap even while queuing up at a liquor shop is going viral.

The discipline being followed even while buying alcohol struck a chord with people across the country. The video shows smalls lines painted on the ground indicating where costumers should stand, while a guard is on a vigil, making sure the distance is maintained.

“Most responsible drinkers on the earth are from Kerala, while maintaining a social distancing in the view of Corona, look at their commitment…,” Facebook user Aravinda Ghosh K wrote while sharing the video. The video has been viewed nearly 1,90,000 views on the platform.

The Kerala government has imposed severe restrictions, including the closure of educational institutions and cinemas till the end of March as fresh cases of COVID-19 cases were reported. However, bars and liquor shops were permitted to remain open in several districts, and this particular video was shot at a store in Alathur in Palakkad district.

Here’s how people reacted to the video:

https://twitter.com/Sathishdony/status/1240593579950501890

The Kerala government has maintained that while people must exercise caution and personal hygiene in the wake of the pandemic that has killed four people in the country so far, their social lives must go on too. A stringent clampdown on the social life of the public could severely hamper their morale.

Moreover, for a state whose finances are in shambles, closure of bars and retail liquor outlets could further dent its economic recovery. In 2018-19, the state’s liquor monopoly BEVCO registered Rs 14,000 crores worth of sales.

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