Bengaluru, Dec. 4: After fresh Covid clusters emerging mostly in colleges in the last couple of weeks in various parts of the state, Karnataka chief minister, Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said that he has directed the Bengaluru Civic Body (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike – BBMP) to take steps to accelerate the anti-Covid vaccination doses for apartment dwellers and those residing in hostels in order to contain the spread of virus.
This apart from Karnataka directing all apartment owners’ associations (Resident Welfare Associations) to permit entry only to people who have taken two doses of anti-Covid vaccine in their common areas.
Mr Bommai told reporters that with two confirmed cases of Omicron, Mr. Bommai said the BBMP has been told to declare a cluster even if three cases of infections are reported in an apartment complex, hostel or area at the same time.
“Earlier, the BBMP was mandated to declare a cluster as a minimum of 10 cases of infection and now we have decided to declare a cluster even if three cases are detected,” he said and added that at present there are two types of clusters – educational institutions and housing complexes in Bengaluru, hence the state has directed the civic agency and the Health and Family Welfare Department to be on high alert to contain spread of the disease in the city in such complexes.
The Chief minister said that with vaccination hesitancy being reported in some places, the BBMP has been asked to intensify the vaccination drive in Bengaluru.
Mr Bommai said that the state had received only a preliminary report and the state was in process to obtain a detailed report on treatment protocols for Omicron infection.
“I have instructed the Health department during our meeting held on Friday (December 3) to get a comprehensive report on providing treatment for the Omicron, a new variant of the virus,” he said.
Covid tests will be intensified in hostels:
The Chief minister noted that he had instructed to conduct requisite Covid tests for all students and staff of nursing, medical and para-medical institutions, as the state cannot afford to take any more chances.
“We have to follow the time tested formula of test-track-treat-vaccination by enforcing Covid appropriate behaviour. Testing has been made mandatory for health workers, persons aged above 65 years and people with co-morbidities,” he said.
We will hold legislature session in Belagavi:
Mr Bommai said the winter session of the State legislature would be held from December 13 to 24 in Belagavi by strictly following Covid norms. “The secretariat would undertake the task of sanitising the building and seating arrangements in both Houses of the State legislature. The district administration has been given instructions to allow only people with two doses of vaccination to the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi,” he said.
