Kerala has thrown open its bars and hotels which were in lockdown mode due to the unabated Covid-19 situation in the State. This was announced by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan while briefing the media late Saturday evening after the review meeting convened by him to discuss the modalities.

“All hotels and bars are being reopened for dining out and consumption of spirits. Those who have taken both the jabs would be allowed in the bars and hotels,” said Vijayan. He said 16,671 persons were tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday out of the 1.14 lakh samples tested during the last 24 hours.

The State also logged 120 deaths on Saturday which took the  total fatalities in Kerala to 24,248. More than 91 per cent of the State’s population have received the first dose of vaccine and efforts were on to provide the jabs to the entire population of Kerala.

Vijayan disclosed that there has been an 8 per cent reduction in the number of persons afflicted with Covid this week compared to that of last week. “The observation that the youth in the State are more vulnerable to the pandemic is  a matter of concern,” said Vijayan. The Chief Minister also disclosed that the administration is making elaborate arrangements for the reopening of educational

institutions. “The Station House Officer in each police station in the State would convene meetings with headmasters and principals of schools and colleges to discuss the modalities to be followed while reopening the institutions. We are opening the educational institutions after 21 months,” said Vijayan.