Step by step COVID preventive measures to be implemented without affecting normal life: Bommai

Belagavi, Dec 26: Stressing the need to create awareness with spurt in COVID cases globally and Omicron sub-variant BF.7 infections, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said the government will implement preventive measures step by step, without hampering normal life and economic activities. This was discussed at the cabinet meeting held here, earlier today.

"The current COVID situation was discussed at the cabinet meeting today, about the need to create awareness among the public about increase in booster dose, testing, making testing compulsory for Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases, wearing masks in closed places," Bommai said.

Speaking to reporters, he said, all these things will be discussed at a high-level meeting later in the day.

"We will have to bring in preventive measures step by step, without hampering normal life and economic activities in any way," he said, adding for New Year celebrations there will be certain directions, in the wake of an increase in COVID cases in different parts of the world.

A meeting headed by the state's Health Minister K Sudhakar and Minister in-charge for Disaster Management R Ashoka, along with technical experts is scheduled today, which is likely to decide on COVID preventive measures and guidelines to be followed in the days ahead, including for the New Year celebrations.

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.