As Tamil Nadu is two days ahead of marking the deadline of the week-long complete lockdown, Chief Minister MK Stalin has on Friday announced that the complete lockdown will be extended for a week after May 31st in light of the exponential rise of the COVID-19 cases in the state. The state is currently through a complete lockdown with no relaxations from May 24 and will be in place till May 31. 

As per the order, the new phase of the lockdown will come to effect on May 24 and will play its role till 6 am on June 7th, 2021. The decision of extending the lockdown has come after discussions with the medical experts and district administrations as several districts are reporting a surge in the COVID-19 cases despite the complete lockdown. The fresh phase of the lockdown will carry forward the existing restrictions during its tenure. 

However, the Chief Minister has announced lighter relaxations during the new phase of the complete lockdown. According to the press release from the government, the Chief Minister has permitted the grocery stores to supply the essential products to the doorstep of the people. The grocery stores can function by obtaining consent from the municipal administration to supply the products at the doorsteps through mobile vans. 

The grocery stores can function from 7 am to 6 pm during the next week and the stores can directly supply the essential products to the residences by taking the order through phones and online from the customers. The government has also clarified that the existing system of supplying fruits and vegetables to the homes through the horticulture department will continue functioning across the state next week. 

Apart from permitting the grocery stores to supply the products directly to the homes from 7 am to 6 pm, the government has provided no other relaxations and the existing restrictions will strictly be enforced in the state. The Chief Minister has said that the grocery stores are permitted to supply the products in the interest of the people. 

The Chief Minister said with the view of reducing the burden endured by the people during the lockdown, he has ordered the co-operative and consumer department to provide a pack of 13 provision items to the rice ration cardholders across the state through the public distribution system (ration shops). The provisions package will be provided to the people from June. MK Stalin has appealed to the people not to exit the residences unnecessarily and to refrain from crowding owing to the lockdown. 

The Chief Minister said that the lockdown has been imposed to curb the COVID-19 spread in the state. He further requested the people to adhere to the guidelines like wearing masks, observing social distancing, washing hands at regular intervals, and approaching the medical centre if they develop any symptoms. He also asked the people to extend their full cooperation to the efforts taken by the governments to beat the COVID-19 pandemic. 

On Thursday, Tamil Nadu has reported 33,361 fresh COVID-19 cases, 30,063 discharges, and 474 deaths, one of the highest single-day death counts recorded by the state. Overall, Tamil Nadu has recorded 19,78,621 cases so far as of Thursday of which 3,13,048 are active, 16,43,284 have been discharged, and 22,289 had succumbed to the viral infection.