Lock down is notified in the country to control the spread of the corona virus disease. To ensure the food safety of the people, Government of Kerala have announced free ration and food kit to all people across the state. In Kollam district, Civil Supplies Department has entrusted the Kudumbashree units in the district for making the cloth bags to arrange the food kits. Various units in the district is therefore making cloth bags. 38 tailoring units and two apparel parks of Kudumbashree in the district are engaged in making cloth bags for Civil Supplies Department. In the first phase, they received order for 40,00 cloth bags, out of which 15,000 cloth bags would be delivered soon. Kudumbashree Kollam District Mission is getting more orders for cloth bags from Civil Supplies Department.

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Tele-counselling offered by Snehitha Gender Help Desk in Kannur has been gaining attention for its manifold efforts to bring down scare during lockdown days. It focuses on providing information regarding the chances of Covid 19 spread apart from offering moral support to those spending time in quarantine and self-isolation.

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The community kitchens which are functioning all over Kerala are becoming a boon to all districts.The kitchens are a part of the state government's initiative to deliver food for free at people's doorstep. Wayanad district mission had made a mark in this field way before the community kitchens were started functioning all across Kerala.

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An additional 10 Community Kitchens started functioning in Ernakulam district alone to provide sufficient food for guest labourers and others on lockdown days. The Kudumbashree-led units are operating full-fledged in the Kochi Municipal Corporation office.

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As lock down is notified in the country, to tackle the spread of the corona virus disease, various initiatives are being implemented by Kudumbashree Malappuram District Mission associating with District Administration for the welfare of the people. Other than mask-sanitizer production, community kitchen services, sharing information through whatsapp and the need analysis of the loan scheme announced by Government of Kerala, the District Mission has launched their own innovative initiatives as well.Other than the community kitchens opened in various locations in the district, a community kitchen was opened in the premises of Kudumbashree Malappuram District Mission. The food at this community kitchen is cooked by District mission officials themselves. The food is prepared after taking orders from the nearby locality. The community kitchen opened at Kudumbashree Malappuram District Mission office serves food to around 300 people every day.

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In the midst of the lock-down notified in Kerala foreseeing the strong possibility of a wide spread outbreak of Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19), community kitchens are opened by Kudumbashree Mission in convergence with Local self governments in all respective local bodies where food will be prepared and home delivered to those under home quarantine and for needy people. Supplyco is entrusted with delivering essential articles for running the community kitchens. It was targeted to start 1000 community kitchens across the state and as per the statistics till 29.03.2020, 1034 community kitchens have been started all across the state. Government of India has advised to replicate the community kitchen model of Kudumbashree in other states.

The meals are provided at Rs 20 per meal. Until 29.03.2020, a total of 2,89,689 meals have been served altogether. The community kitchens are opened at various locations in the districts viz., auditoriums, community halls, schools, panchayath halls, municipality canteens etc. The Janakeeya Hotels (Hunger free hotels) opened at the LSGIs associating with Kudumbashree had also been turned into community kitchens. The details of the community kitchens opened across the state are as follow

Kudumbashree NHGs had been active in spreading the awareness on fighting back the COVID-19 pandemic by maintaining personal hygiene. The message of 'Break the Chain' Campaign of the health Department of Kerala was discussed among the NHG meetings held across the state last week. Through Kudumbashree, the message of the 'Break the Chain' Campaign of Health Department was therefore spread to the 44 lakh families in Kerala. A detailed note was given to every NHGs to discuss and spread the message of the importance of 'Break the Chain' Campaign. The aim was to spread awareness about the precautions to be taken by each families to stay safe from the spread of the corona virus disease.

Instructions had been given to the NHGs to start the NHG meetings only after washing the hands. The need and importance of washing hands using soap or sanitizers therefore reached to the NHG members and their families through this. Based on the instructions developed by the Health Department, note highlighting duty of each member and general awareness about corona virus disease was given to the NHGs and they had been directed to discuss the same. As it was noted that mortality due to corona is relatively high for elderly people and those people who are sick, the note for the NHGs included guidelines for Kudumbashree NHGs about the actions to be taken by the elderly and sick people. Elaborate instructions were given for those who are in quarantine. Also, general instructions for NHG about extending support to the quarantined families was also mentioned in the note. Precautions to be taken by the families to stay safe from the infection of this disease, actions that may be taken by NHGs to ensure the public health as per the instructions from the district administration and Health Department were discussed in all NHGs during the weekly meetings.Through this Kudumbashree aimed to ensure that there’s adequate precaution and that there is no panic.

As lock-down was notified in Kerala foreseeing the strong possibility of a wide spread outbreak of Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) from 24 March 2020, Kudumbashree started identifying new ways to get the awareness reach out to maximum public as public gatherings are restricted in the state. Various ways were identified by the respective districts. The services of the community counsellors were ensured. Regular communication with the people in quarantaine, tele counselling throigh Snehitha Gender Help Desk, spreading awareness among the tribal hamlets, distributing immunity boosters (homoeopathy), spreading notes on awareness to fightback the COVID-19 pandemic among the CDSs, setting up volunteer team for emergency services, making posters to spread the awareness etc were few of the new activities identified by the district teams to make the public aware of the ways to fight back the spread of COVID-19 by maintaining social distancing. Kudumbashree is focusing more on whatsapp groups to reach out to the information to the NHGs now. Through Kudumbashree's outreach programmes, the messages are reaching to grass root level and Kudumbashree is trying to give leadership to fight back this corona virus disease and address the anxieties of the society.

In addition to the production and supply of the cotton masks, Kudumbashree units are also engaged in the production of the hand sanitizers. Though in small quantities, sanitizers are also produced under the leadership of Kudumbashree units and are distributed as per the order. As the availability of sanitizers became short in the market, the soap and lotion making units started making sanitizers.A total of 21 units across the state were engaged in producing sanitizers. As of now, sanitizers are produced by Kudumbashree units in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts. The entrepreneurs with drug licence were producing sanitizers and were selling them in the market. Those units manufacturing sanitizers using the spirit received from the Government distribute the manufactured product free of cost (not for sale). Kudumbashree units started to produce sanitizers in small quantities to address the shortage of the sanitizers.

The details regarding the production of sanitizers by Kudumbashree units across the state are as follows:

Ten lakh cotton masks are being produced by Kudumbashree tailoring units in the midst of the lock-down notified in Kerala foreseeing the strong possibility of a wide spread outbreak of Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19).The establishments involved in the production and supply of equipment required to contain COVID-19 including masks, sanitizers, drugs, personal protective equipments (PPE) etc were excluded from the restrictions. Kudumbashree is having many small and medium tailoring units functioning across the 14 districts in Kerala. Out of these units, 360 units have already started the process of making cotton masks. Kudumbashree units started making cotton masks, as the availability of the masks became too short. Masks are prepared as per the orders received from health department and other governmental and non-governmental departments. Kudumbashree started getting more orders as the information of Kudumbashree units making masks began to spread. Kudumbashree units across the districts have prepared 8,30,423 masks until now and the process is ongoing.

The total production capacity of all the Kudumbashree units put together is approximately 1,30,000 masks per day. Instructions were already given to stitch cotton masks as per the orders received, based on the production capacity of the respective districts when the COVID cases started reporting in Kerala. The units of Kudumbashree then started the process of procuring cloths after receipt of orders and they started production. The process took a couple of days to streamline. The activities are progressing to complete the received orders with utmost quality and to hand over the same on time. The price of the cotton mask is fixed as per the cloth used and the quality. As the need for cotton masks began increasing, directions had been given to the respective District Mission Coordinators to increase the production capacity by increasing the working time and by engaging more units. The orders obtained at the districts are being received and masks are being stitched under the supervision of respective District Mission Co-ordinators of Kudumbashree.

The details of the masks being produced in different districts are as follows:

Kozhikode Corporation Kudumbashree launches 'Fresh Mask'. As Covid 19 was confirmed in Kerala, and the availability of masks became scarce, Kozhikode Corporation Kudumbashree acted on time and started making masks. So, the officials engaged in health activities and the health workers will get the required number masks. The Fresh Mask was launched by Shri. Thottathil Raveendran, Mayor, Kozhikode Corporation on 17 March 2020.

The masks are prepared by the 94 units, who have been registered as a micro enterprise named 'Fresh Bags' in Kozhikode Corporation, engaged in making cloth bags. 706 Kudumbashree members are working in those 94 units. The Fresh Mask is made in 6x4 inch size using surgical cloth. These units itself are capable of making 35,000 masks a day. Kudumbashree aims at making available these masks in the market at Rs 7 per unit. In the first day itself, 3500 masks were ready. As per the request of the District Administration, 20,000 masks would be produced and be handed over to the district administration.

As the need of the masks increased, the 'Fresh Bags' unit temporarily stopped the production of the cloth bags and started making cloth masks. Shri. Binu Francis, Secretary, Kozhikode Corporation, Shri. Prakashan T.K, Kudumbashree Project Officer, Smt. O. Rejitha, Chairperson, Smt. N. Jayaseela, Chairperson, Smt. T.K. Geetha, Chairperson, Shri. Jaison T.J, Manager, NULM were also present at the launch.