Stringent precautions against the pandemic in border districts: CM Bommai

Pragativahin News, Bengaluru – Stringent precautions had been taken in border districts of the state as part of the plans to prevent and control the spread of Covid pandemic, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said here on Sunday.

An  increase in pandemic cases had been noticed among the paramedical staff and students who arrived from Kerala. In this light stringent precautions were being taken in Dakshina Kannada, Madikeri, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru districts bordering Kerala. Those arriving from Kerala would be allowed only with RTPCR negative report. It is also mandatory for them to have double dose of vaccination before entering into Karnataka, Bommai said speaking to media persons.

Referring to the scare raised by Omicron, the new variant of Covid, Bommai said, “the new variant has been reported in South Africa, Hongkong and Botswana. The World Health Organisation has also issued an alert about the new strain of the virus. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too has issued guidelines to prevent and control the new variant. However no cases of the new strain has been reported in Karnataka.”

As for the spike in Covid cases reported in student hostels in Dharwad, Mysuru and Bengaluru, Bommai said, that these hostels and colleges had been declared as Containment Zones and students were being subjected to Covid test. Doctors and nurses are also being tested in these colleges.

Those arriving from the countries which have reported the new strain are being compulsorily tested at the airports and they would be allowed into the cities only if they are found negative. Those who report positive in the test report would be shifted to the containment zone. “We have requested the union government to ban arrival of passengers from the 3 three countries which have reported the new strain,” Bommai said.

Replying to a question about the proposal on Booster dose of vaccination for frontline workers in health service the Chief Minister said that the state government had already written to the Centre seeking permission for administering the Booster dose.

State government had made double dose of vaccination compulsory for those working in government offices, malls, cinema halls and other public places. Testing has been intensified in border districts, students who have arrived in the last 16 days from Kerala would be tested again 7 days after they get a negative report, Bommai said.

Bommai in a reply to a question on New Year celebrations said, “a suitable decision would be taken on guidelines for New Year celebrations in the next few days depending on the situation.” Instructions had been issued to follow Covid guidelines in the campaign meetings of Legislative Council election.  “State has 80 lakh doses of the vaccine and about 91% of the eligible population has been covered for the first dose, a target of 70% for the second dose by December end has been set,” he said.