Prepared to face Covid wave: Health minister

With the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in several countries, the Karnataka government has decided to strictly monitor travellers coming from abroad.

Karnataka health minister K Sudhakar on Tuesday said that the fourth wave of Covid-19 could start as early as June and could last till September. The minister who had earlier said that the new wave could begin in August, said that the predictions indicate the possibility of the pandemic restarting in late June or early July. “Karnataka is prepared to face it,” he added.

Karnataka health minister K Sudhakar (ANI)

“The new XE variant of Covid-19 is prominent in eight countries and people arriving from these countries are being screened. Masks are still essential but there is no need to worry about the fourth wave. As many as 5,000 children in the age group 6-12 who are not yet eligible for the vaccine will be tested,” he added.

With the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in several countries, the Karnataka government has decided to strictly monitor travellers coming from abroad. The travellers will have to go through the thermal scanner, and those found symptomatic will be tested. If found positive, their samples will be genome-sequenced for the new variant XE, said an official privy to the development.

Meanwhile, the technical advisory committee (TAC) suggested mandatory quarantine for a period of 7-10 days for passengers from these countries, during an emergency review meeting held on Monday. However, the government is yet to release guidelines regarding the same.

“A total of 10.54 crore vaccine doses have been administered in the state. The second dose of the vaccine has been taken by 98% people and another 32 lakh people are yet to take the second dose,” the minister said.

“Some might have become complacent and negligent as the third wave which was severe in some countries was relatively not too harmful in our country. Covid-19 has not ended and could keep returning as different variants like the recently increasing cases of the XE variant,” he said talking about the vaccination drive in the state.