Kerala government allows shops in malls to open from August 11 with strict COVID-19 protocols

New Delhi: The Kerala government on Saturday (August 7, 2021) allowed the shops in malls to remain open, under the same conditions stipulated for opening of individual shops, from August 11 onwards. The state government issued an order detailing the precautions, which needs to be taken by the authorities, including strict usage of face mask, availability of hand sanitizers, temperature checking and social distancing.

"...Designated persons shall be engaged at the entry points of the mall to ensure that all the COVID-19 protocols including masks, hand sanitizers, temperature checking, social distancing, and other conditions stipulated...for entering into shops are strictly followed," the order read.

"Special teams shall be deployed by the District Collectors to monitor the effective functioning of the Rapid Response Teams (RRTS) and to ensure that RRTs strengthen surveillance and contact tracing significantly," it further added.

Shops in malls will be allowed to open on the same conditions stipulated for opening other shops from 11th August onwards, after making all required precautionary arrangements: Kerala Government pic.twitter.com/F670uCXTEg — ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2021

Meanwhile, Kerala on Saturday reported 20,367 new COVID-19 cases and 139 deaths, taking the active caseload in the state to 1,78,166, while the toll reached 17,654. In the last 24 hours, 1,52,521 samples were tested and the test positivity rate (TPR) was found to be 13.35 per cent.

Additionally, a COVID-19 vaccination drive will be held in Kerala from August 9 to 31 informed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday. 

"In addition to the vaccines available to the state government, more vaccines need to be made available to the private sector. The state government will buy 20 lakh doses of vaccines and provide them to private hospitals at the same rate. The distribution will be based on the number of vaccines that can be given through each private hospital, commercial institutions and public organizations can arrange vaccination from the purchased vaccines for local people with the participation of hospitals. The local self-government Institutions can arrange facilities for this. The goal is to vaccinate as many as possible at the earliest," said Pinarayi Vijayan while interacting with reporters in a COVID-19 review meeting on Saturday.

(With ANI inputs)

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