Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 15 (IANS): Even as the expert committee for tackling Covid has started deliberating if the use of masks can be dispensed with, Kerala on Tuesday registered 1,193 new Covid cases, while the test positivity rate was 4.34 per cent.

According to sources in the Health Department, one reason why the expert committee has been asked to discuss if it is time for the masks to be made not mandatory is that starting from Wednesday, all those in the age group between 12 to 14 years will be given their first dose of Covid vaccine.

Also starting from Tuesday, all those above of 60 years will be given their booster dose, if nine months have elapsed after the second dose.

Health Minister Veena George, in a statement, said that 1,034 people turned negative, taking the total active cases in the state to 8,064, of which 9.6 per cent are admitted at various hospitals.

Three more Covid deaths were reported, taking the total death toll to 66,958.