From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Dec 9: Even as infection cases of the new Covid-19 variant, omicron, are slowly creeping up in the State and other parts of the country, the Basavaraj Bommai government has decided to wait and watch for a week before taking any decisions on announcing new Covid guidelines in Karnataka

Briefing reporters after a State Cabinet meeting, which discussed the report of the Technical Advisory Committee headed by Dr M K Sudarshan, the Chief Minister said the State Government has decided to adopt the wait and watch policy in view of the Dr Sudarshan panel’s advice that there was no need to press the panic button as of now as the infection cases of Covid-19 pandemic were comparatively low in the State.

Bommai said the State Government will review the situation after a week before taking any decision on implementing new guidelines to contain the situation.

Decision before Christmas, New Year celebrations

With Christmas and New Year celebrations round the corner, the Chief Minister said the State Government would keep its vigil and adhere to the present norms.

But a decision on adopting new restrictions, especially to restrict the celebrations and large public gatherings and whether to impose night curfew and other norms during the Christmas festivities and New Year celebrations would be taken after reviewing the prevailing situation after a week, he said.

The TAC Chairman Dr Sudarshan has suggested that there was no necessity of taking any decision in a hurry, the Chief Minister said.

He said that Dr Sudarshan has explained to the State Government about the new variant omicron and said there was no need to become panic as the current figures for Covid-19 was low in the State.

The precautionary measures need to be taken to contain the spread of the infections, he said.

But the major worry was the students’ hostels emerging as new hotspot for corona virus cases and the government has already announced special guidelines for hostels. Hostel authorities have been told to stagger students for lunch/dinner, reducing number visitors, sanitization of premises twice a day and mandatory two doses of vaccination for employees working in kitchens and establishment of isolation rooms in hostels.

College students who have travelled from Kerala to Karnataka and stay in college hostels to mandatorily undergo Covid-19 test.

Intensive surveillance of testing at the inter-state borders of Karnataka-Kerala and Karnataka-Maharashtra, would continue, Bommai said.

The Chief Minister said his cabinet colleagues have suggested that a special drive to vaccinate people could be taken in the coming days as was done in May and June months of the second wave.