Karnataka: Curbs won't help, focus on Covid care, says experts

BENGALURU: Karnataka is reconsidering its plan of imposing stringent curbs in the state from July 6 after a panel of experts said such measures won't help contain the spread of virus and suggested that treatment and hospital infrastructure must be the focus.
Health experts held meetings with CM BS Yediyurappa on Friday. They said restrictions like lockdown will postpone - and not prevent - the peak period by about three months. They said the state must, instead, train its sights on optimising the existing clinical infrastructure and effective utilisation of resources.
‘Lockdown can only defer spread’
For a targeted approach, experts said patients must be split into four categories — asymptomatic, mild, moderate and severe — and only the last group must be shifted to Covid hospitals. Also, the government must focus on preventing infection among children below10 years and those above 60 with comorbidities.
“Lockdown is not a solution to get rid of the virus. It can only defer spread of the pandemic by three months,” said S Sacchidanand, chairman of Covid-19 clinical experts’ committee and RGUHS V-C. The first two months of lockdown were needed as it helped the government prepare the ground for tackling the pandemic.
Dr MK Sudarshan, chairman of Covid-19 technical committee, said it’s time the process of development of herd immunity was accelerated and added lockdown will impede the speed.
Medical education minister said experts have given their opinion and the government is assessing it. There’s a realisation lockdown is not the solution.