No need for any major concern or worry: K'taka CM on new COVID-19 clusters

In the wake of the emergence of new COVID-19 clusters and the threats of the new Omicron variant of coronavirus, the Karnataka government decided to focus on cluster management and to issue fresh guidelines to hostels, aimed at controlling the spread of the infection on Thursday (December 9).

The government said that it did not want to take any “hasty decision” regarding imposing curbs, and that a decision regarding such measures like night curfew and restrictions on Christmas and New Year celebrations would be taken after analysing the situation for a week.

“Regarding COVID, our Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) head Dr MK Sudarshan has informed about the current situation, he has shared details about the Omicron variant. According to him, looking at the current figures and the positivity rate, there is no need for any major concern or worry,” said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

Speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, Bommai said that the government however felt it was necessary to take certain precautionary measures, like issuing new guidelines for hostels and their management such as sanitising, allowing people into the dining area to have meals in a staggered way, restricting visitors, double dose vaccination for all staff working there, and setting up a separate isolation room.

“We have already given similar guidelines for cluster management and have said that if there are more than three positive cases in a place it will be declared as clusters, and such measures will continue,” Bommai said, adding that on the advice of the ministers special vaccination drive will also be held, like it was held earlier this year.

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The CM had received an informal briefing by senior officials regarding the current COVID-19 situation in the state on Wednesday (December 8), and had held discussions regarding managing the clusters that have emerged, the Omicron situation, and about the government’s preparedness.

COVID-19 clusters have emerged mostly in educational institutions and hostels in several places of the state like Bengaluru, Dharwad, Mysuru, Hassan, Mangaluru, among others; while at least two cases of Omicron were detected in Bengaluru.

Bommai, in response to a question, said that the strict vigilance and measures in the border areas, specifically for students from Kerala, such as mandatory vaccination and RT-PCR tests for entering the state, will continue.

Also read: Booster shot or additional dose? Experts mull ways to tackle Omicron

Regarding curbs on Christmas and New Year celebrations, the government will take a decision after analysing the situation for a week, Bommai said, adding that, “regarding any special curbs like night curfew also, a decision will be taken after watching the situation for a week. We did not want to take any hasty decision.”

(With inputs from Agencies)