Covid-19: K’taka govt likely to decide on guidelines on Monday

BENGALURU: Amid spurt in COVID-19 infections in some parts of the world and cases of Omicron subvariant BF.7 found in the country, the Karnataka government on Monday is likely to decide on preventive measures and guidelines to be followed in the days ahead, including for the New Year celebrations.

The state may decide on the guidelines at a meeting headed by the Health and Disaster Management Ministers, along with technical experts.

“Health and Disaster Management Ministers (K Sudhakar and R Ashoka respectively) will hold discussions, several instructions have come from the Centre and the state government need to take certain decisions after analysing the factual situation on the Corona spread,” Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, there is no need for unnecessary worry, but awareness is important.

“Keeping in mind the international repercussions on the country and state in the past, guidelines will be decided at tomorrow’s meeting, which will also be attended by technical experts,” he added.

Karnataka on Thursday had decided to make face masks mandatory in closed spaces, and had instructed for mandatory testing of all Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases for COVID-19, even if they are asymptomatic.

Speaking in Chikkaballapura, Minister Sudhakar said, he and Minister Ahoka will meet to analyse the COVID situation, and to send out a message on the precautionary measures to be taken.

“As bigger activities like year-end or New Year are coming up, what sort of vigil has to be maintained, what precautionary measures should be taken at places (where people are likely to gather to celebrate). Along with understanding the situation, we will discuss the guidelines to be issued for the days ahead,” he said.

The Minister said, he cannot say that new measures or guidelines will be implemented from tomorrow itself. “We have called this meeting to ensure that the situation during the first and second wave don’t repeat, and precautionary measures to be taken for it.” Wearing masks at crowded places, taking booster dose, and maintaining social distances as much as possible are some of the measures that can be followed by citizens, he said.

“We have to coexist with COVID and we have learnt lessons from the past two-three years,” he added.