BENGALURU: A day after it ruled out reimposition of lockdown, the Karnataka government on Friday said it will rigorously pursue a new sealing strategy by expanding the definition of a containment zone, besides looking at restricting people’s movement by declaring dusk-todawn and Sunday curfews.
Chief minister BS Yediyurappa held a three-hour meeting with MLAs, MLCs and MPs from Bengaluru to evolve a stricter containment plan. Most of the lawmakers supported the government’s move to not reimpose lockdown and concurred with its clustercontainment strategy that includes detecting cases early, breaking the chain of transmission by sealing the area and expanding its limits to prevent its spread to new areas.
Later in the day, the government, after receiving suggestions from a panel of expert doctors, indicated its inclination towards bringing back Sunday curfew and dusk-to-dawn curfew across the state to put a lid on the rise in number of Covid-19 cases. As of now, the night curfew is on between 9pm and 6am.
The panel of experts headed by Dr MK Sudarshan met the CM and his colleagues and suggested curfew as one of the key interventions required to arrest the spread of the virus.
The CM will take a final call on Saturday, sources said.
CM to decide on curbs after meeting today
Based on the panel’s recommendations, the CM will hold a meeting with officials on Saturday evening and take a final call, a senior minister privy to the meeting said.
Revenue minister R Ashoka said many MLAs suggested that a containment zone should include the street where the infected person lives and at least 2-3 adjoining streets too. “We’ve agreed to their suggestion and will act accordingly,” he said.
Currently, only the house of the infected person is sealed. The new move means Karnataka will revert to its earlier containment zone plan in which the locality in which the infected person lives is sealed.
Some Congress legislators, including R Ramalinga Reddy, opposed the expansion of quarantine areas, calling the decision “impractical”. He said, “Imagine the extent of the city that will be closed. Instead, the state should strengthen its medical infrastructure as we are in the community- transmission phase,” he said.
Ayurvedic medicines to boost immunity
Following suggestions from legislators, the government said it is thinking of distributing ayurvedic medicines to boost immunity among people in the state in a bid to bring down the number of Covid-19 cases. Kerala had taken a similar decision.
Chief minister BS Yediyurappa held a three-hour meeting with MLAs, MLCs and MPs from Bengaluru to evolve a stricter containment plan. Most of the lawmakers supported the government’s move to not reimpose lockdown and concurred with its clustercontainment strategy that includes detecting cases early, breaking the chain of transmission by sealing the area and expanding its limits to prevent its spread to new areas.
Later in the day, the government, after receiving suggestions from a panel of expert doctors, indicated its inclination towards bringing back Sunday curfew and dusk-to-dawn curfew across the state to put a lid on the rise in number of Covid-19 cases. As of now, the night curfew is on between 9pm and 6am.
The panel of experts headed by Dr MK Sudarshan met the CM and his colleagues and suggested curfew as one of the key interventions required to arrest the spread of the virus.
The CM will take a final call on Saturday, sources said.
CM to decide on curbs after meeting today
Based on the panel’s recommendations, the CM will hold a meeting with officials on Saturday evening and take a final call, a senior minister privy to the meeting said.
Revenue minister R Ashoka said many MLAs suggested that a containment zone should include the street where the infected person lives and at least 2-3 adjoining streets too. “We’ve agreed to their suggestion and will act accordingly,” he said.
Currently, only the house of the infected person is sealed. The new move means Karnataka will revert to its earlier containment zone plan in which the locality in which the infected person lives is sealed.
Some Congress legislators, including R Ramalinga Reddy, opposed the expansion of quarantine areas, calling the decision “impractical”. He said, “Imagine the extent of the city that will be closed. Instead, the state should strengthen its medical infrastructure as we are in the community- transmission phase,” he said.
Ayurvedic medicines to boost immunity
Following suggestions from legislators, the government said it is thinking of distributing ayurvedic medicines to boost immunity among people in the state in a bid to bring down the number of Covid-19 cases. Kerala had taken a similar decision.
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