No need to panic, follow Covid norms: Karnataka CM Bommai

Bommai said he instructed the health minister and the department to keep health infrastructure ready and maintain a proper stock of medicines and vaccinations so that there is no shortage

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai appealed to the people on Saturday not to panic amid a rise in Covid-19 cases in certain countries and said his government is taking adequate measures to manage the situation.

Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai said his government is taking adequate measures to manage the situation amid a rise in Covid-19 cases in certain countries. (PTI)

“There is no reason to panic. But we should all be cautious. The government and the public should face this and tackle it together,” Bommai told reporters on Saturday.

The chief minister said he recently held a high-level meeting to review the Covid situation in the state and gave directions to officials concerned to implement the decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“I have already held a meeting regarding Covid and given important guidelines. As a follow-up meeting, on Monday, health minister Sudhakar and revenue minister Ashok will discuss in detail,” Bommai said.

The chief minister said more booster doses and Covid vaccination should be administered, and camps should be conducted at district and taluk levels. “Testing should be ramped up. All ILI and SARI cases should be compulsorily tested for Covid. Masks should be worn in closed places and distance should be maintained,” he said.

Bommai said he instructed the health minister and the department to keep health infrastructure ready and maintain a proper stock of medicines and vaccinations so that there is no shortage. “Dry runs of oxygen plants installed everywhere should be conducted to keep them up-to-date in case of emergency. Restrictions have also been imposed at airports.”

On specific guidelines for New year celebrations, the chief minister said Revenue Minister R Ashoka and others would discuss on Sunday and finalise them.

Meanwhile, Karnataka health minister Dr K Sudhakar also asked people not to panic, adding the robust health department is monitoring the situation closely.

“Bengaluru has been the epicentre in the previous Covid waves. But now, that is not the case. There is no reason to panic, even in Bengaluru now. We are monitoring the situation closely. We will take all decisions considering the interest of everyone in the state,” Sudhakar said.

The health minister said Karnataka has a team of experts in the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and expressed confidence in their guidance.

“We have epidemiologists with over 40 years of experience who have seen pandemics as chairpersons. We have a team of experts from each domain and eminent virologists. It is an excellent committee that Karnataka has. The experts have given us the right guidance so far, and it will continue,” Sudhakar said.

Sudhakar said testing has been ramped to 4,000-5000 every day, but the positivity rate is very low in the state. “We can’t do random testing. That is why I said earlier that tests will be mandatory for people with influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI).”

“We will start booster dose vaccination from Monday, and I urge everyone to come forward and take it...Regarding restrictions for New year celebrations, we are monitoring the Covid situation in the country, and we will take a decision accordingly,” Sudhakar added.

The health minister said a mock drill to test the Covid emergency preparedness of health facilities in Karnataka will be conducted on December 27.