BENGALURU: All Covid restrictions have been lifted in the state and large public congregations and weddings too are allowed now. Members of the Covid Technical Advisory Committee held a meeting on Sunday, the day before the order passed by the government enforcing Covid restrictions ended and recommended to the government that all curbs can go.
“TAC has given the green signal to lift restrictions. But strict Covid-appropriate behaviour (CAB), like compulsory wearing of face masks, screening for symptomatic persons, physical distancing especially in closed spaces, provision for hand sanitizer, etc, should continue. With the government’s order lapsing on February 28 and no fresh orders, it means all the restrictions have been lifted,” confirmed D Randeep, Commissioner, Department of Health and Family Welfare.
Reopening to continue in March
The mask mandate for lone travellers in cars too is going. TATAC members stressed on the importance of appropriate masking in reducing infections in the previous three waves, but recommended dropping the mask mandate for drivers travelling alone in a car/taxi. TATA C members made the recommendation as Covid cases are declining steadily and even the central government has advised states to relax Covid restrictions.
The state govt had relaxed some norms, like allowing 100 percent occupancy in theatres, gyms, swimming pools etc, but had continued with restrictions on large gatherings. Experts discussed that in the last fortnight, there has been a steady decline in test positivity rate and has remained below one.“Covid cases peaked in Jan-end, when we had over 48k cases, while TPR was at 22.5 per cent.
But in the last week of Feb, we had 514 cases and the TPR was 0.84 per cent,” a TATAC member said. The meeting discussed that none of the districts in the state have a high TPR, with Tumakuru being on top with a TPR of 2.29 per cent. There was a deliberation too on deaths continuing to be high despite lower hospitalisations. “All Covid-related deaths are being audited district wise,” said a health department official. TATAC recommended to the government that reopening can continue till March-end if necessary.