BENGALURU: Even as Covid cases continue to rise in the State at an alarming rate, there is growing complacency towards wearing face masks and getting vaccinated.
“Only 70 per cent of Covid vaccine stock, which is allocated to Karnataka, is being used on an average daily basis,” said former head of Neurovirology, National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences and member of Karnataka Covid task force Dr V Ravi.
“In the last two days after the government opened up vaccination for 45 years and above, only 40 per cent have taken the vaccine. There is vaccine hesitancy not only among the public but also among healthcare and frontline workers,” said the noted virologist.
“Only 70 per cent of healthcare workers and 40 per cent of frontline workers in Karnataka have taken the COVID vaccine,” he said.
“People have become complacent about Covid and don’t seem to care about their health and that of others. We hardly see them wearing masks in public places. Those, who have been vaccinated think they are beyond Covid and have thrown all caution to wind despite repeated warnings by the government,” he added.
“Vaccination and post-vaccination protocols need to be followed strictly. The road ahead is going to be full of road blocks now on,” he cautioned.
The State Government, meanwhile, is ramping up measures to ensure that people follow Covid guidelines and maximum number of people in the permitted groups get vaccinated.
“We have given permission to Gram Panchayats to use KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) buses to ferry people in rural areas back and forth to the public healthcare centres free of cost for Covid vaccination,” the Additional Chief Secretary to Government cum Development Commissioner, Bengaluru, Vandita Sharma, told TNSE.
She added that more number of marshals and home guards will soon be deployed to ensure proper use of face masks.
“The government is making all possible efforts to bring the growth rate of the virus down in Karnataka. People need to cooperate, mask up and get vaccinated when their turn comes,” she added.
The State Government on Friday issued stringent guidelines to control the spread of the second wave of Covid