Complete lockdown in Tamil Nadu today, check what`s allowed and what`s not

New Delhi: In view of the rising Covid-19 cases, the Tamil Nadu government has imposed a complete lockdown in the state on Sunday (January 23, 2022). The state government has been reimposing a Sunday lockdown in the state since January 9.

Chief Minister M K Stalin in a statement on Friday said the decision was taken after reviewing the Covid-19 situation in the state. The Chief Minister also appealed to the people of Tamil Nadu to abide by the directives of the government on the ‘lockdown day’, and avoid unnecessary travel. 

“All the essential services that were allowed on January 16 would be allowed. All those services and activities that were restricted on that day would be restricted [on January 23],” an official release said.

The Tamil Nadu government had also extended the existing Covid-19 restrictions, including a night curfew till January 31. 

Read important points here:

- The state will see complete lockdown on Sunday, the state government said.

- The lockdown will begin at 10 pm on Saturday and remain in place till 5 am on Monday.

- Night curfew from 10 pm to 5 am will continue till this month-end.

- Only essential services will be allowed to function during the lockdown hours. 

- Buses, metro and local trains to accommodate only up to 50% of seating capacity. 

- All entertainment and amusements parks are ordered shut, however, the public will be able to visit beaches alone for walking. 

- Only 50 per cent occupancy will be permitted in hotels, lodges and restaurants, clothes and jewellery stores, gyms, yoga centres, clubs, cinema halls, indoor stadia, salons, spas and beauty parlours. 

- People arriving at railway terminals and bus stations can be transported using auto-rickshaws, taxis, and other vehicles. However, mobile apps must be downloaded to reserve the time and location from which the customer will be picked up.

Additionally, Tamil Nadu Minister Ma Subramanian on Saturday said that the number of fatalities caused due to Covid-19 in Tamil Nadu was 'less' as compared to other states because 65 per cent of the population has two doses of vaccination.

Deaths due to Covid-19 occurred because the individual did not receive a single dose of vaccination and was above the age of 60 years with comorbidity, the Minister for Health and Family Welfare said.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu on Saturday breached the grim 30,000-mark by adding 30,744 infections to 31,03,410 till date, according to the Health Department. A total of 33 people succumbed to the virus and took the death toll to 37,178 so far, a bulletin said here. Recoveries aggregated to 28,71,535 with 23,372 more people getting discharged in the last 24 hours leaving 1,94,697 active cases.