Tamil Nadu extends lockdown till Sept 6: Cinema halls to operate at 50%, beaches to reopen

Chennai, Aug 21: The Tamil Nadu government on Saturday extended covid-induced lockdown for two more weeks till September 6, along with certain restrictions.

With the COVID-19 related lockdown, which was extended with restrictions drawing to a close at 6 pm on August 23 , Chief Minister M K Stalin chaired a high-level meeting with senior officials today and announced extending the lockdown further by another two weeks till 6 pm on September 6 with additional relaxations.

He announced that schools will reopen for classes 9 to 12 students from September 1 with 50 per cent capacity on a rotation basis . A decision on re-opening the school for classes 1 to 8 will be decided after September 15, a release from the government said. Polytechnics and colleges have been allowed to re-open from September 1.

Detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) will be released by the secretaries of the two departments concerned and all teaching and non-teaching staff should have been vaccinated, it said.

The release further said that Anganwadis will be opened to provide mid-day meals from September 1. Crèches will be permitted and the staff should be vaccinated.

• Theatres are allowed to open with 50 per cent seating capacity from Monday.
• Beaches to re-open for public. The small traders and shop keepers working around the beach area must be vaccinated.
• Zoos, botanical gardens, boat houses etc to re-open
• All shops are permitted to open till 10 pm.
• IT offices can function with 100 per cent workforce.
• Employees involved in noon meal scheme at anganwadis can work.
• Inter-state transport to Andhra and Karnataka allowed.
• Swimming pools allowed to open for competition training purposes.
• Bars inside resorts and lodges to remain open.