On an unprecedented scale of easing the lockdown, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has on Saturday announced a fresh episode of lockdown extension, but with a pile of relaxations to the state and schools, colleges, theatres, and beaches are getting back to business after several months of remaining shut down. Through these major relaxations, Tamil Nadu is steadily coming back to normalcy and with the latest announcement, the government has permitted the resumption of almost all businesses and establishments except in the containment zones. 

The current tenure of the lockdown ends by Monday and the Chief Minister had convened a meeting on Saturday at the Chief Secretariat during which he reviewed the situation over extending the lockdown and resuming more services. The meeting had held by carrying various expectations over the resumption of schools and colleges. Following the meeting, MK Stalin has announced that the lockdown will be extended for another two weeks till September 6 and unveiled a pile of relaxations which will come into effect from Monday. 

Following are the relaxations announced by the government from August 23: 

• Schools will be reopened for Classes 9 to 12 from September 1. The students will be coming to the physical classes for the first time in 18 months and the government has said that the classes will be taking place on a shift basis by following the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). 
• The mid-day meal programme will also be resumed for these classes with SOPs and the government will begin deliberation about resuming the schools for Classes 1 to 8 after September 15, based on the output and functioning of the Classes 9 to 12 from September 1. 
• All colleges will be allowed to conduct physical classes on a shift basis from September 1 and the professors, staff members, and administrative staff of the colleges must be fully vaccinated. 
• All Diploma courses and polytechnic colleges will be resumed from September 1 and the classes will be held on a shift basis and all staff members must be fully vaccinated. 
• Theatres across the state will be reopened from August 23 and they have to adhere to the SOPs. Theatres can function with 50% of capacity and the owners of the theatres must ensure that the employees are fully vaccinated. 
• People will be allowed to visit beaches from August 23 and the corporation and district collectors should take measures to vaccinate the people who run shops and work at the beaches. 
• Zoological parks, botanical gardens, and boathouses will be allowed to function by following the SOPs and guidelines. 
• Shops and establishments that are currently functioning till 9 pm will be allowed to function till 10 pm from August 23.
• IT companies and related firms will be allowed to function with 100% of the workforce.
• Public transport from Tamil Nadu to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka will be resumed from August 23 with SOPs. 
• Swimming pools can function with 50% of trainers only for training purposes and the trainers and people above 18 years of age must be fully vaccinated. 
• Anganwadis will be allowed to function from September 1 to provide mid-day meals to the students and the respective district collectors must make sure that the Anganwadi workers have received two doses of Covid-19 vaccine. 

General containment measures: 

• The companies and establishments that are going to resume must ensure that their employees are fully vaccinated and a hand sanitiser and thermal screening equipment must be kept at the entrance of all the shops without fail. 
• The shops must ensure that the workers and customers are wearing facemasks and observing physical distancing. The government has warned that strict action will be slapped on the establishments that defy the Covid-19 guidelines. 
•  The Covid-19 appropriate behaviour (Test- Track- Treat- Vaccination) must be strictly enforced as a containment measure to curb the virus spread. 
• Only essential services should be allowed in the containment zones and special teams will be formed to conduct a door-to-door inspection in the zones. 
• The Chief Minister appealed to the people to adhere to the Covid-19 guidelines and get vaccinated to fight the pandemic. By citing that the decision of major relaxations was taken in the view that the public interest education for students shouldn't face adverse impacts in future, MK Stalin has asked the people to make use of the relaxations responsibly.