People not following Covid measures will not get free treatment: Kerala CM

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said individuals not following adequate Covid-19 preventative measures and haven't been vaccinated yet could be barred from receiving free treatment.

As the world is wary of the new Covid variant Omicron, a high-level meeting, chaired by Vijayan, on Tuesday specified that non-vaccinated teachers and employees who work from offices or interact with the public will have to submit weekly results of RT-PCR tests.

"No more free treatment for those who don't cooperate with COVID prevention measures. Non-vaccinated teachers and employees who work from offices or interact with the public will have to submit weekly results of RT-PCR tests, paid for by themselves, to ensure the safety of all," Vijayan said.

The meeting also decided to ramp up the Covid protocols and not to relax rules as the film industry was demanding to see that theatres are allowed 100 per cent seating from the present 50 per cent.

"If there are people who have an allergy and other issues for not taking a vaccine, such people will have to submit a medical certificate to that effect from a government doctor. And those government employees who do not come with such a medical certificate will have to come with an RT-PCR test result every week," he said.

The meeting also decided to speed up giving the second dose of vaccine and Vijayan asked the officials to see that by December 15, the maximum number of people should be given the second dose and asked the local bodies and the Health Department to see this takes place without fail.

According to the latest figures, 96 per cent of the above 18 age population in the state have taken the first Covid vaccine dose, and 63 per cent have taken both vaccines.

Around 1.4 million people have missed the date for taking the second vaccine and all such people must ensure they take the second dose at the earliest, the government said.

The Kerala unit of the Indian Medical Association on Wednesday warned that the Omicron variant should be seen as a possible third wave and everyone should be cautious of it and ensure that all the accepted norms of sanitisers, masks and social distancing should be strictly adhered to ward off trouble.