Karnataka new Covid-19 guidelines: Masks mandatory at public spaces, New Year celebrations can go on till 1 am

Bengaluru, Dec 26: Amid spurt in COVID-19 infections in some parts of the world and cases of Omicron subvariant BF.7 found in the country, Karnataka government on Monday said masks will be made mandatory for Pubs, Bars, Restaurants & Public spaces (MG Road etc) ahead of New Year Celebrations which can go on till 1 am. Mask & Vaccine mandate for schools, colleges as well.

"Masks will be compulsory at closed places, and air conditioned rooms, and crowded places in outdoor celebrations. There should not be more people than the permitted capacity in places where the celebrations take place," Health Minister K Sudhakar said.

He was speaking reporters after attending a meeting chaired by Revenue Minister R Ashoka, who is the vice-chairperson of the State Disaster Management Committee.

Earlier in the day, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the government will implement preventive measures step by step, without hampering normal life and economic activities.

Earlier on Thursday, Karnataka had decided to make face masks mandatory in closed spaces, and had instructed for mandatory testing of all Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases for COVID-19, even if they are asymptomatic.

Speaking in Chikkaballapura, Minister Sudhakar said, he and Minister Ahoka will meet to analyse the COVID situation, and to send out a message on the precautionary measures to be taken. "As bigger activities like year-end or New Year are coming up, what sort of vigil has to be maintained, what precautionary measures should be taken at places (where people are likely to gather to celebrate). Along with understanding the situation, we will discuss the guidelines to be issued for the days ahead," he said.

The Minister said, he cannot say that new measures or guidelines will be implemented from tomorrow itself. "We have called this meeting to ensure that the situation during the first and second wave don't repeat, and precautionary measures to be taken for it." Wearing masks at crowded places, taking booster dose, and maintaining social distances as much as possible are some of the measures that can be followed by citizens, he said. "We have to coexist with COVID and we have learnt lessons from the past two-three years," he added.