Partial lockdown will be in force in a majority of local bodies in Kozhikode district from Thursday.
Shops selling essential commodities will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Other shops can function on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the same time and private firms can also function on these days with 50% of staff. Government and semi-government offices will have 25% staff on a rotation basis.
This was announced by District Collector S. Sambasiva Rao on Wednesday even as the COVID-19-induced total lockdown ended in the midnight. It is based on a government decision to allow relaxations in local bodies considering the test positivity rate (TPR) recorded in wards and divisions in grama panchayats, municipalities and corporations. The local bodies have been divided into four categories. Those with a TPR below 8% are in ‘A’ category, local bodies with a TPR between 8% and 19% are in ‘B’ category, those with a TPR between 20% and 29% are in ‘C’ category, and others with a TPR above 30% are in ‘D’ category.
Kozhikode Corporation, Vadakara, Koyilandy, Payyoli, Feroke, Ramanattukara, Koduvally and Mukkom municipalities, and 40 grama panchayats are in ‘B’ category.
As many as 29 grama panchayats are in ‘A’ category where all institutions can function with 25% of staff on rotation basis. Others can work from home. All shops, including Akshaya centres, can function between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. with 50% staff. Hotel and restaurants can have parcel service till 7 p.m. and home delivery till 9.30 p.m. House maids can travel. Jogging is allowed.
Peruvayal and Karassery panchayats have been included in ‘C’ category where lockdown restrictions would continue. Only shops selling food and medicines can function between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Textile shops, jewellery shops, and footwear shops can function for wedding purpose and those selling school books can function on Fridays. Hotels and restaurants can have parcel service and home delivery only. None of the local bodies in the district have been included in the ‘D’ category where triple lockdown would be implemented. Mr. Rao said that strict restrictions would be imposed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Fresh cases
Meanwhile, 1,054 more people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the district on Wednesday, of whom 1,039 acquired the infection through local transmission. The source of 15 others is not known. A daily TPR of 10.45% was recorded when 10,307 samples were tested. Kozhikode Corporation accounted for 251 cases of locally acquired infections. As many as 1,495 people recovered from the infection and active caseload from the district stands at 11,023.
