The relaxations will come into effect from October 25, however, the re-opening of cinemas and auditoriums will only be allowed with restrictions.

“Entry will be for those who are fully vaccinated including employees. Theatres and auditoriums will function with 50% seating capacity,” Vijayan said.

The chief minister said more than 90% of the targeted population have been administered with at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

The Kerala government had earlier announced new coronavirus-related guidelines, restricting movement of those who have not taken at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

Currently, the state allows in-house dining for hotels, restaurants and bars, but with 50% seating capacity and the staff should be fully vaccinated.

Earlier, the state government has also issued draft guidelines for reopening of schools. The draft norms include allowing only two students on a bench and scrapping of mid-day meals. Instead mid-day meals allowance will be given to the students.

Kerala on Saturday logged 13,217 new Covid-19 cases and 121 deaths, taking the caseload to 47,07,936 and the death toll to 25,303.

Health minister Veena George said the state has tested 96,835 samples in the last 24 hours and there are 745 wards across 368 local self government bodies where the weekly population infection ratio was above ten per cent.

“There are 1,41,155 active cases in the state of which only 11 per cent are in hospitals,” the minister said in a release.

Among the districts, Ernakulam reported the highest number of fresh infections on Saturday –1,730, followed by Thiruvananthapuram 1,584 and Thrissur 1,579.

Meanwhile, 14,437 persons recuperated from the disease, taking the total cured in the state to 45,40,866. “Of those found infected on Saturday, 51 reached the state from outside while 12,458 contracted the disease through their contact.

The source of infection of 623 are yet to be traced and 85 health workers are also among the infected,” the release said. There are 4,37,864 persons under observation of which 17,308 are in isolation wards of various hospitals.