BENGALURU: Starting Tuesday, six major government buildings in the state with high footfall will set up thermal screening points to check the spread of coronavirus.
The Health and Family Welfare Department will set up the facility at Vidhana Soudha, Vikas Soudha, MS Building, Legislators Home, Karnataka High Court (principal bench in Bengaluru, and Dharward and Kalaburagi benches), and City Civil Courts, according to an official release.
The screening will be done between 9 am and 6 pm. Staff will be provided with gloves, sanitisers, N95 masks and drinking water. Each screening point will have two staff nurses and relievers on rotation to ensure continuous screening.
Three district health officers from Bengaluru Urban, Kalaburagi and Dharwad will draw an action plan. The Bengaluru Urban District Health and Family Welfare Officer (DH&FWO) will make arrangements to conduct screening at all six locations, assisted by the BBMP Chief Health Officer.
Equipment and supplies will be procured from the Karnataka State Drugs Logistics and Warehousing Society (KDLWS). Shortages, if any, can be made good by utilising programmatic cost under the National Health Mission.
Procurement of scanners and the deputation of nurses and other staff should be completed on Monday.
The screening will start from Tuesday and continue until further orders.
A 108 ambulance will be available at screening centres to take anyone found with symptoms to hospital.
The DH&FWO will identify physicians and provide phone numbers to all doctors of screening dispensaries for expert opinion and further consultation.
Screening, limited hearings at courts from tomorrow
BENGALURU: Starting Tuesday, visitors to the Karnataka High Court - excluding members of the bar - will have to undergo thermal screening during entry into court premises. High Court staff have also been issued guidelines to follow.
As a precautionary measure amid the coronavirus scare, the Karnataka Chief Justice issued an order stating, “From Tuesday 17 March 2020, visitors to High Court (except members of the Bar) should be subjected to thermal screening by health department officials of the state government. The members of the staff will be subjected to thermal screening in High Court offices.”
The court also said the principal seat at Bengaluru and Benches at Dharward and Kalaburagi will take up only urgent matters.
Only matters by the members of the bar or parties in person will be taken up at the discretion of the court.
Other matters will be taken up provided all the contesting parties on both sides consent for taking up matters. Dates will be assigned as per the discretion of the concerned courts.
Members of the bar, as well as staff, should strictly follow the advisory issued in the order by taking all precautions.