Karnataka health department sees vaccine as key to halt spread of Covid-19 in border villages

BELAGAVI: While Karnataka has heightened surveillance along the border with Maharashtra, officials in the border district of Belagavi say the task is a difficult one and the key in preventing the spread of the virus is to inoculate all eligible people in border villages.
However, an acute shortage of vaccine doses in a stumbling block.
With Covid-19 cases rising, Karnataka has made RT-PCR test reports mandatory for those entering the state from Maharashtra. District police have stepped up vigilance at checkposts, and many who do not have negative Covid reports are being sent back.
MG Hiremath, Belagavi deputy commissioner (DC), and superintendent of police (SP) Laxman Nimbaragi visited some border checkposts on Sunday and are closely monitoring the situation.
However, since many, especially from Kolhapur, Sangli and Miraj travel across the border for work, tracking them is a difficult task, officials say. Nimbaragi said 2,000 people cross the border every day from Nippani alone, while about 500 travel from Kagwad.
Sources say that about 7000-10,000 people move in and out every day from Athani, Kudichi, Raibag, Belagavi, Hukkeri and other places.
Hiremath said discussions are on to implement a system to deal with this moving population. It is likely they would get a pass which would be valid for a week after which the RTPCR test may have to be repeated. However, guidelines are yet to be issued.
The health department believes vaccinating people in border villages is the solution. The department has identified over three lakh eligible population in 96 border villages. While the inoculation drive began on June 28 in these villages, a month on only about 1.2 lakh people have got the dose.
“The drive can never pick up pace unless there is a drastic increase in supply of doses,” said IP Gadad, district immunisation officer. “For the entire district, we require one lakh doses daily. On Monday we had planned a vaccine fest but we have only got 80,000 doses.” Gadad said the administration must first target people commuting daily to Maharashtra and Goa. “Even partial vaccination is useful in preventing the severity of infection,” he said.
Report all cases, BBMP tells labs
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has ordered all private establishments managing testing and/or treating Covid-19 patients, to mandatorily report all Covid positive cases to the Palike to ensure timely and effective containment and surveillance.
“In view of Covid-19 being declared a pandemic, it is hereby directed that all laboratories and private hospitals testing for Covid-19, either by RAT/RT-PCR or any other approved Covid tests, shall update results on ICMR portal immediately, and inform the respective BBMP authorities via email to chief health officer, public health on choph515@gmail.com and respective zonal health authorities,” the notice stated.
It added: “If any laboratory or hospital is found violating the above order, strict action shall be initiated under the Karnataka Epidemic Disease Ordinance, 2020, Karnataka Private Medical Establishment (KPME) Act, 2017 and Disaster Management Act (DMA) 2005 against such establishments.”