KERALA: Earlier this month, the Maharashtra government enforced a state-wide halt on film and TV shooting, and given the second wave of Covid is spreading like wildfire in the nation, it was only a matter of time before other states followed suit. Now, the Kerala government has issued guidelines to suspend filming in the state. 

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, during his routine press conference at 5.30pm, informed media outlets that directions have been given to stop serial and film shooting in the state until further notice. Earlier, TV serial and film shoots in Ernakulam were suspended following the rise in Covid cases, and now the government has decided to suspend it in the entire state. 

Last year, in March, LDF-led dispensation had shut down film and serial shooting in the state, and the industry was silent for more than two months. Later, in May, the government allowed resumption of shooting under strict Covid restrictions. 

Due to the suspension of filming TV series, several top Malayalam channels including Asianet, Surya TV, Flowers, Zee Malayalam, and Mazhavil Manorama had tided over the content crunch by re-telecasting old shows and already-aired episodes of television serials. 

On 29 April, Kerala's Covid graph hit another high with 38,607 cases. The average test positivity rate in the state is 24.5 per cent as of Thursday. 

Meanwhile, the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) has urged the government to lock down the state. However, Pinarayi Vijayan stated that a complete lockdown is not possible, but stricter restrictions will be put in place. He also advised the public to go into “self-lockdown”, underscoring the gravity of the situation and appealing to citizens to help contain the surge in caseloads.