A day after nation’s first ever Omicron cases were detected in Karnataka, the state government on Friday issued fresh orders related to coronavirus banning unvaccinated people from accessing to public life like parks, shopping malls, cinema theatres.
The new orders also prohibited any gathering and cultural event at schools till January 22 next year. The decisions were taken at a meeting, chaired by Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, to discuss the government’s action plan with senior ministers, administration officials, and public health experts.
The key decisions taken are :
* Strict implementation of the ‘five-fold strategy’ of test-track-treat-vaccination and enforcing adherence to Covid-19 appropriate behaviour shall continue.
* All gatherings, meetings, conferences, etc should strictly limit the number of participants to 500 people only with must covid norms.
* All cultural activities, fests and functions in all educational institutions are to be postponed till January 15, 2022.
* Parents of children below l8 years of age, who are going to schools or colleges, should be compulsorily vaccinated with two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.
* Entry to shopping malls, cinema halls and theatres shall only be allowed to persons who are inoculated with both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.
* Wearing face masks is must. In order to strictly enforce the core requirement of masking, municipal and local authorities shall impose a fine of ₹250 in municipal corporation areas and ₹l00 in other areas in case of any violation in this regard.
* Strict surveillance at the border posts set up by the districts adjoining Kerala and Maharashtra shall continue as per the prevailing circular and guidelines issued by the Karnataka government.
* Legislative Session Belagavi will be conducted with high alert.
“Two cases of Omicron have been found positive: a 66-year-old male, and a 46-year-old male. We got the results very late last night,” Lav Agarwal, joint secretary at the union ministry of health and family welfare, told reporters. “All primary and secondary contacts have been identified and are under isolation.”
