Karnataka makes face masking in closed spaces mandatory, advises outdoor New Year celebrations

All persons hospitalised with respiratory complaints such as ILI and SARI will be compulsorily tested for COVID-19, says Health and Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar

The State government on Thursday reintroduced the mandatory face masking rule in closed spaces, and has advised maintaining social distancing for outdoor Christmas and New Year celebrations. Hospitals have been directed to mandatorily test for COVID-19 all persons admitted with ILI and SARI.

Following the recommendations by the State’s COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and guidelines by the Centre in the light of COVID-19 surge in other countries, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai held a meeting with officials, TAC members, and Health and Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar in Belagavi on Thursday.

The guidelines followed an advisory issued by the Centre directing event organisers to ensure compulsory face masking in all indoor and closed spaces, such as pubs, bars, and restaurants, cinemas, buses, and trains, including metros, shopping malls, offices, etc. This should be followed strictly, particularly by elderly, and those with comorbidities. People have been advised to celebrate Christmas and New Year outdoors.

The State has also directed district officials and BBMP authorities to ramp up testing and ensure vaccine availability and review clinical facilities in terms of beds, drugs, manpower in government hospitals. Officials have been directed to make available adequate testing teams. All symptomatic persons, especially contacts of positive cases, should be compulsorily tested. All symptomatic persons, who test positive, should be encouraged to follow isolation and treatment as per established protocols, according to the guidelines.

While district hospitals and government medical college hospitals have been directed to reserve a minimal number of isolation beds for COVID-19, all healthcare facilities including private hospitals have been directed to to be prepared to manage any surge in COVID-19 cases.

“Following the Centre’s guidelines, all positive samples (with a cycle threshold (CT) value

Officials have also been directed to accelerate the booster dose vaccination in line with supplies — so that the existing coverage of 22% is increased to 50% during December — January next year.