BENGALURU: Discussions are on with experts on institutional quarantine for all international travellers, whether they are from high-risk countries or not, and even if they test negative, BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta told reporters here on Wednesday. Government orders are awaited and all arrangements will be done immediately, he said.
Hospital bed inventory is also being done, and at present, there are 3,000 beds with the government for COVID-19 management, of which 300 are occupied. A close watch is being kept on every patient being admitted. If cases go up and demand increases, more beds will be added in government and private hospitals, said Gupta.
He was responding to the media on the government’s response to the suggestion of experts to identify and reserve beds for COVID-19 patients. Gupta asserted that people who have any COVID-19 symptoms should not ignore them and immediately go for a test, as early detection is ideal, even for viral infection.
On Wednesday, vaccination vans were donated to BBMP by 3M India, GE, Vaccine On Wheels and United Way Bengaluru under corporate social responsibility, to vaccinate the marginalised population in the four BBMP zones -- Dasarahalli, East, Mahadevapura and Bommanahalli. Gupta said that six vaccination vans are deployed in these zones.
These vehicles are being used to strengthen door-to-door survey and doorstep vaccination campaigns. A detailed programme implementation strategy has been worked out with health and medical officers in charge of urban primary health centres. Through these vaccination vans, BBMP has estimated that it will vaccinate about 50,000 eligible unvaccinated persons till March 2022.