Karnataka government steps up Covid-19 measures for New Year celebrations

According to the guidelines, cinema-goers have been advised to wear N-95 masks mandatorily and event organisers are required to ensure that the celebrations on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day on Jan 1 and Jan 2 should be completed by 1 am.

“All large assemblies shall be strictly outdoor and as far as possible (must be held) in the day, avoiding chills of late night and early morning”. The prescribed capacity of the areas shall not exceed the seating capacity in indoor areas like hotels, pubs, restaurants and others, the guidelines said.

Organisers have also been directed to create multiple entry points to avoid crowding at the event location,  ensure compulsory use of face masks and social distancing throughout the event, thermal screening of all visitors and use of hand sanitisers.

The government asked healthcare officials to accelerate booster dose vaccination based on supplies, so as to improve the coverage from existing 21 per cent to 50 per cent by January 2023.

Guidelines for international travellers

All symptomatic patients arriving at KIAL, Bengaluru and Mangalore International Airport will be shifted to Bowring Hospital, Bengaluru and Wenlock Hospital, Mangaluru respectively. “Alternatively, the symptomatic passengers can choose the nearest eligible private hospital for quarantine, under intimation to health authorities and the cost shall be borne by individuals themselves,” the guidelines added.

Airport authorities have been asked to ensure that post their arrival at the airport, international passengers providing RT-PCR sample await the results of their tests. “During this period, they shall remain under home quarantine and shall self-monitor their health for Covid symptoms and observe strict compliance to Covid appropriate behaviour (CAB) like wearing of face mask, social distancing, practice respiratory and hand hygiene, etc. for next seven days,” according to the order.

If such passengers develop symptoms like fever, cough, cold, body ache, head ache, loss of taste and smell, diarrhoea or difficulty in breathing, they will have to immediately report to the local surveillance health team and shift to the designated medical facility (government or private) for further treatment.

A person who is asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic should undergo strict home isolation as per protocol, ordinarily for seven days or till they receive a negative report is received. If the person is symptomatic, he should be immediately shifted to designated medical facility for further management. If the Whole Genome Sequence report (usually received after seven days) reveals BF.7 or a new sub variant/variant, then another sample will be taken for RT-PCR and the person is required to strictly follow CAB till the results are known.

If the result of the test is negative, they will have to continue to self-monitor their health for Covid-19 symptoms with strict compliance to CAB for the next seven days.

Same guidelines will have to be followed for children under 12 years except that a parent or guardian in good health shall accompany the child to the designated medical facility or be the care giver.

“Further, the exercise of 2% random testing of International arrivals at BIAL, Bengaluru and Mangaluru Airport shall continue and any further guidelines issued in this regard by Government of lndia shall be followed,” the guidelines read.