BENGALURU: As Covid-19 cases in the state are increasing, the government has brought back containment zones to tackle the epidemic effectively. The Technical Advisory Committee on Tuesday suggested to the government that such zones are needed again as a threat of another Covid wave is looming. The State Government had introduced containment zones last year at the peak of the pandemic.
If five are more cases are detected in a hostel, residential complex or educational institution, then they will be declared containment zones by local health officials, who will initiate special surveillance measures.
After seven days of declaring a containment zone, the inmates will be subjected to RTPCR tests.
Strict enforcement of Covid precautions, like wearing of face masks, physical distancing, use of hand sanitisers and monitoring of symptomatic patients, will be strictly followed and heads of these units will be held responsible if there are any violations, the government order states.
All coming from Kerala must produce RTPCR certificates
Also, all those arriving from Kerala should compulsorily produce negative RTPCR certificates that are not older than 72 hours. The positive samples should be sent to the NIMHANS laboratory for genomic sequencing.Visitors and relatives will not be allowed at hostels and colleges without the permission of Covid nodal officers.
Hostels and colleges should maintain a list of students travelling to and from Kerala. Each time they return from Kerala, they have to produce negative RTPCR report, the order states. Students and teachers from Kerala, who are staying in colleges and hostels, will be subjected to RTPCR tests once every 15 days. They have also been told to avoid unnecessary travel to the neighbouring state. Anyone not complying with the norms will be immediately reported to nodal authorities and made to strictly stay in designated “quarantine rooms” in the facility till the RTPCR test report comes negative.
All colleges and residential facilities have been advised to ramp up testing and surveillance activities. Employees working with multinational companies, hotels, resorts, lodges and homestays should get the RTPCR test done at their own cost.
Is India facing a resurgence?
It may be too early to say if India is heading towards a fresh wave of Covid-19, but some states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Haryana are parhaps showing early signs of a resurgence