Bengaluru, Nov 28 (UNI) Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said Omicron, a new variant of Covid, has not been reported in the state.
"The new variant has been reported in South Africa, Hongkong and Botswana. The World Health Organisation has also issued an alert about the new strain of the virus. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too has issued guidelines to prevent and control the new variant. However no cases of the new strain have been reported in Karnataka."
Those arriving from the countries affected by the new strain are being compulsorily tested at the airports and they would be allowed into the cities only if they are found negative. "We have requested the union government to ban the arrival of passengers from the 3 three countries which have reported the new strain," Bommai said.
As for the spike in Covid cases reported in student hostels in Dharwad, Mysuru and Bengaluru, he said these hostels and colleges have been declared as Containment Zones and students were being subjected to Covid test.
Doctors and nurses are also being tested in these colleges, he said.
Stringent precautions have been taken in border districts of the state as part of the plans to prevent and control the spread of Covid pandemic, Bommai said. An increase in pandemic cases has been noticed among the paramedical staff and students who arrived from Kerala, he said.
In this light, stringent precautions were being taken in Dakshina Kannada, Madikeri, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru districts bordering Kerala, Bommai said. Those arriving from Kerala would be allowed only with a RT PCR negative report, he added.
It is also mandatory for them to have a double dose of vaccination before entering into Karnataka, Bommai said.
Replying to a question about the proposal on Booster dose of vaccination for frontline workers in health service, the Chief Minister said that the government has already written to the Centre seeking permission for administering the Booster dose.
The government has also made double dose of vaccination compulsory for those working in government offices, malls, cinema halls and other public places. Testing has been intensified in border districts, students who have arrived in the last 16 days from Kerala would be tested again 7 days after they get a negative report, Bommai said.
Replying to a query, Bommai said a suitable decision will be taken on guidelines for New Year celebrations in the next few days depending on the situation.
Instructions have been issued to follow Covid guidelines during the campaign for MLC elections.
"State has 80 lakh doses of the vaccine and about 91 per cent of the eligible population has been covered for the first dose, a target of 70 per cent for the second dose by December end has been set," he said.
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