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Published 23:09 IST, August 26th 2020

Kerala govt issues COVID-19 guidelines for Onam festival; public celebrations prohibited

On Wednesday, the Kerala government issued guidelines for the celebration of Onam festival till September 2 to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus

Reported by: Akhil Oka
null | Image: self

On Wednesday, the Kerala government issued guidelines for the celebrations of Onam festival till September 2 to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus. These guidelines shall be applicable to non-containment zones. Public Onam celebrations and crowding in the name of Onam Sandhya shall be prohibited. People have been advised to avoid non-essential travel.

No flower vendors from outside Kerala will be permitted during the festival period. With 2,476 fresh COVID-19 cases reported in Kerala, the total number of active cases stands at 22,344. So far, 41,694 patients have recovered from COVID-19. 

Here are the guidelines:

  • Shops shall remain open from 7 am to 9 pm in non-containment zones. The maximum number of customers allowed to be inside the shop at a time will be displayed outside.
  • The shopkeepers will mark circles where the customers can stand and shall provide them hand sanitizer.
  • Cashless transactions will be encouraged in shops.
  • Public markets can function with a limit on the entry of people, capping of the time spent by shoppers, less crowding, and markings on the ground for social distancing.
  • Shopping malls and textile shops can operate with appropriate arrangements.
  • Malls and hypermarkets should promote home delivery of essential items with a minimum purchase limit.
  • Other businesses will encourage online transactions and function with 50% capacity.
  • People have been advised to avoid festivals and exhibitions.
  • Hotels and restaurants should close by 9 pm.
  • Food Safety Officers will conduct regular inspections in all eateries to ensure food safety. 
  • The Health Department will assess the risk of COVID-19 spread on the use of fresh flowers for 'Onam Pookalam' and issue a specific advisory in this regard.

Read: Kerala Secretariat Fire: Chennithala Writes To Guv Alleging Links With No-trust Motion

Novel coronavirus crisis

Currently, there are 32,34,474 confirmed novel coronavirus cases in India out of which 24,67,758 patients have recovered while 59,449 fatalities have been reported. With 63,173 COVID-19 patients getting cured in the last 24 hours, the country's recovery rate stands at 76.30%. Meanwhile, the case fatality rate has dipped to 1.84%. After 8,23,992 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, the number of tests done in India has increased to 3,76,51,512. The number of COVID-19 testing labs rose to 1540 including 992 labs in the government sector and 548 private labs. 

Read: Kerala Gold Smuggling: Judicial Custody Of 3 Accused Extended; ED Summons More People

Updated 23:09 IST, August 26th 2020

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