The Covid-19 exit strategies that Kerala and Karnataka have submitted to the Centre have recommended prolonging the restrictions while resuming agrarian, industrial and economic activities in a graded manner.
While recommendations had been sought from every state, sources have said the proposals from the two southern neighbours may play a key role in helping the Centre firm up a plan.
Kerala’s 38-page report begins by saying the efforts to ramp up the production of personal protection equipment (PPE) kits and masks for healthcare personnel must not be relaxed. It has sought increased case-management capacity, increased testing and research to prevent and contain such outbreaks in future.
While the Kerala report was prepared by a 17-member committee that included public health experts, bureaucrats and filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, a five-member committee of doctors drew up Karnataka’s 18-page recommendations.
Karnataka has proposed that half the workforce of the state’s IT companies should continue to work from home. It has suggested the opening of groceries from morning to late night to prevent hoarding, saying such measures would gradually revive the consumption engine.
Kerala has provided a clearer picture of how a graded relaxation can be worked out, with incremental leeway from Phase 1 to 3.
A district should qualify for Phase 1 relaxation if it reports not more than one new case in a week, no more than a 10 per cent rise in people under home surveillance, and has no hotspots.
For Phase 2 relaxations, there should be not more than one new case in two weeks, not more than a 5 per cent rise in people under home surveillance, and no hotspots.
A district may qualify for Phase 3 relaxation if it reports no new positive cases in two weeks, a decrease of more than five per cent in the number of people in home surveillance, and no hotspots.
Under Phase 1, no one is allowed to move around without a mask or a government identity document such as a driver’s licence or an Aadhaar card.
Movement of private vehicles must follow the odd-even rule, with only vehicles of government services allowed on Sundays. There can be no religious congregations, rail or air traffic, or entry of travellers from other states. Government offices and banks will work at half their staff strength.
During Phase 2, auto-rickshaws and taxis maybe allowed to ply but will be restricted to one and three passengers, respectively. Short-distance bus travel with one mask-wearing passenger per seat will be allowed. All public transport must ensure the availability of hand sanitisers.
Activities under job guarantee schemes will be allowed, and small and medium enterprises employing more than five people can resume functioning but must ensure the employees have no Covid-19 symptoms.
The stringent restrictions on people stepping out even for a morning walk could be lifted provided they maintain social distancing and walk for just 30 minutes, within a 500m radius of their home, and before 7.30am.
The Phase 3 relaxations will see inter-district bus services at two-thirds capacity, and domestic flights for essential staff such as doctors at 50 per cent capacity.
No international flights should be allowed until full relaxation of the lockdown, but NRIs wishing to return could be brought home on special flights while following all the safety protocols.
After their return, these NRIs should be subject to serological tests and isolated if found coronavirus-positive. However, those NRIs who carry certificates from their countries of residence declaring they had tested negative for Covid-19 should be directly sent to home quarantine for 14 days.
Educational institutions may be reopened in Phase 3 but only for examinations. Liquor shops too may be reopened. But religious congregations, large weddings, political meetings and conferences must remain barred.
Kerala has also recommended some relaxations during the ongoing lockdown, which appears poised to continue till the end of the month.
The state has already allowed mobile phone shops and automobile workshops to open one day a week and permitted licensed plumbers to work.
It has recommended that rice and grain mills be allowed to function, along with production units for essential commodities, barbers, laundries, couriers and cleaning services for apartments. However, all movement of personnel should be managed through police passes.
Kerala has also recommended that everyone stepping out of home till June should wear masks. While the local bodies should ensure three-layer cloth masks for the public, N95 masks should be reserved for healthcare workers.
The state has suggested that all non-medical air-conditioning be switched off in public places, citing the epidemiological finding that the virus spreads rapidly in such environments.
It has also sought a bigger economic package for the whole country, including a special package for medium and small enterprises. It has proposed that the states be allowed to borrow 5 per cent of their GDP during 2020-21 and 2021-22.
Kerala has demanded a special loan facility for Jan Dhan account holders and a scheme for them to buy essentials; sector revival plans covering women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and transgender people; and a special economic package for migrant workers.
It has laid special focus on the management of vulnerable populations such as those aged above 70 and with co-morbidities (concurrent diseases), the disabled, women aged above 60 and living alone, transgender people, and those who need regular treatment such as dialyses.