BELAGAVI/BENGALURU: In the wake of reports on the spread of sub-variant of the Omicron virus in the country, the Karnataka government has issued an eight-point guideline to prevent the spread of the virus in the state. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and attended by Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar, members of a high-level advisory committee and senior officials of health department.
Sudhakar said wearing masks indoors and testing all Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases have been made mandatory from Friday.
The minister said that in addition to testing ILI and SARI, 2 per cent of people arriving at hospitals would also be randomly tested. Masks have been made mandatory in spaces with air conditioners (ACs) as well. The oxygen plants set up at various hospitals will be maintained, Covid hospitals will be identified and private hospitals will also be directed to reserve beds for infected patients. The state will be in constant touch with the Central government and follow the proposed guidelines, he said.
Special vaccination camps will be organised to ensure 100 per cent coverage of the booster dose. The minister said people became lenient as the number of cases went down and did not come forward to take the booster dose. So far, only 20 per cent of people in Karnataka have been administered the booster dose.