TN too extends lockdown till June 21
Relaxations mandate all shops, offices to follow all guidelines
Extending the lockdown till June 21, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced a slew of additional relaxations all over the state, more of them in the 27 districts where Covid-19 infections have shown a decline.
In the other 11 districts – Coimbatore, The Nilgiris, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Karur, Namakkal, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Myladuthurai — too a few relaxations like allowing security services and housekeeping staff in apartments and other buildings have been announced.
However, in the rest of the state, liquor shops will be open from 10 am to 5 pm and beauty parlors, spas, salons can function from 6 to 5 pm without switching on the air conditioner and not accommodating customers more than per cent of the capacity.
The relaxations, announced after reviewing the spread of Coronavirus district wise and with a view to saving the precious lives of people, however mandate all shops and business establishments to provide hand sanitizer with dispenser at the entrance, thermal screening of body temperature and ensuring that all workers wore face masks and so on.
No shop can have the air conditioner on and should restrict the entry of customers with a view to maintaining social distancing, which should also be maintained as they waited outside to enter the premises by marking spots.
Among other activities allowed in the 27 districts with low infection rates are Parks and playgrounds to open for morning walking between 6 am and 9 am, shops repairing agricultural accessories and pump sets (not those doing sales) from 9 am to 5 pm, opticians, both selling and repairing spectacles, from 9 am to 2 pm and potters and handicraft makers and sellers between 6 am to 5 pm.
Shops repairing and selling household accessories like mixies, grinders and television sets, those selling cell phones and outlets dispensing construction material can all be kept open from 9 am to 2 pm.
Educational institutions can function for doing administrative work relating to admissions and the export companies and those supplying raw materials to them can function with 50 per cent workers, following the Covid-19 protocols.
Other companies can engage 33 per cent of their workers, who would not be allowed to travel by their two-wheelers with e-registration. But IT related firms will have to restrict their employees in the premises to 20 per cent or 10 persons at a time. Housing Finance Companies, Non-Banking Finance Companies and all insurance companies can function with 33 per cent employees in the 27 districts with more relaxations.