The State government will make arrangements to celebrate Onam adhering to COVID-19 protocols.
A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday decided not to have Onam celebrations in public places and to put curbs on Onasadya in public places.
In view of the spurt in COVID-19 positive cases, extra precautions would be taken during the festive season. The District Collectors were asked to convene a meeting of traders and police were asked to ensure physical distancing in public places.
Shops would function from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and diners would be allowed in hotels and restaurants. But the diners would have to follow physical distancing in the hotels and restaurants that would function till 9 p.m. Steps would be taken to sanitise the hotels and restaurants and permission would be granted to commence functioning.
In view of the arrival of large quantity of flowers from adjoining States in the festive season, the Health Department was asked to prepare guidelines to check the spread of the virus.
The Health Department and District Collectors were asked to carry out more COVID-19 tests, as large number of people were expected to reach the State during Onam holidays.
A campaign would be launched to enforce face masks among youth by the departments concerned, the Chief Minister told the meeting.
A COVID First-line Treatment Centre would be set up at Central Jail, Poojappura, in view of the spurt in cases among jail inmates. COVID-19 Brigade Special Team would be deployed in the prison. The meeting asked the Additional Chief Secretary, Home and the DGP Prisons to look into sanctioning parole for jail inmates above 65 years.
The Chief Minister told the meeting that COVID-19 test for fishermen venturing into the sea in some districts would be avoided.
Chief Secretary Viswas Mehta, State Police Chief Loknath Behra, Principal Secretary, Revenue, Jay Tilak and Principal Secretary, Health, Rajan N. Khobragade attended.
