Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has allowed churches and other places of worship to open Sundays for services, but with just 15 people.
This was decided at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to review the situation of the coronavirus pandemic in the southern Indian state.
The meeting also decided to not to give further relaxations in the lockdown in the state. The meeting decided not to relax the restrictions since the test positivity rate (TPR) has not gone below 10 percent.
Although the meeting considered the demands to bring some relaxations in the weekend lockdown, the health department took the view that it should be continued. The meeting observed that even during the weekends the places of worship can open with limited restrictions.
All churches can open on Sundays but only 15 people will be allowed at a time inside the church for the prayer and Mass. Not just churches, other places of worship can also function on Sundays.
The Church leaders had requested the government to allow Sunday prayers in churches. But the government decided not to allow overcrowding in the churches.
The health department took the view that the restrictions and the weekend lockdown should continue until the TPR becomes 8 percent. At present, the TPR is 10.66 percent and there is serious concern that it would touch 11 percent in the coming days.
Hence the health department took the stand that any kind of relaxation at this moment might lead to an increase in TPR in the state.
Based on the health department’s recommendations, the chief minister took the view that at present there is no need for reviewing the present lockdown restrictions. It has also been decided to review the situation of the state again on June 29.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com