Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru/Udupi (EP)
Mangaluru/Udupi, Mar 15: Chief minister Yediyurappa held a Covid task force meeting on March 15 at 5 pm in the presence of deputy chief ministers, minister of health and family welfare, chief secretaries of the government and other high ranking government officials with deputy commissioners of all the districts in the state, chief executives of district panchayats and DSPs.
“People arriving from Kerala should compulsorily produce a negative RT-PCR test report which is no older than 72 hours,” said Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Dr Rajendra K V. He was speaking after presiding over a video conference meeting regarding special rules for people arriving from other states.
“The roads at the border except those where people are scarce should be closed. More check-posts should be opened other than the taluk check-posts. Students coming from outside the state should undergo mandatory screening and submit Covid test reports once every 15 days. Students visiting their hometowns should produce negative Covid test reports with them on return. Their parents should follow suit,” he said.
“People should monitor their health and seek medical help if they suffer from fever, cold, cough, throat pain, breathing difficulties and other Covid-like symptoms. Such people will have to undergo Covid tests," he added.
"Covid patients should be identified by increasing the number of tests in the district. Identifying the people in primary and secondary contacts should be immediate. Citizens should wear masks and maintain social distance in public places. Hands should be washed frequently. The task force should find out places where the cases are being reported. Taluk health officers, tahsildars, ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers should take help from locals and conduct awareness programmes,” the DC said.
“Task force at gram panchayat level should hold meetings every Saturday and hold discussions to prevent the second wave of Covid-19. Locals should be encouraged to receive vaccination and be informed that there are no side effects,” Dr Rajendra said.
District panchayat chief executive officer, Dr Kumar urged the task force committees to hold meetings often so as to devise plans to control the pandemic.
“The revenue department, local groups and gram panchayat officials should ensure that people do not gather in large numbers. People should be fined in case of violations,” he said.
Additional DC M J Roopa, Mangaluru corporation commissioner in-charge, Dinesh Kumar, district urban development project director, Gayatri Nayak, district health and family welfare officer, Dr Ramachandra Bayari, women and children welfare department deputy director, Pasha Bovi, taluk health officer, tahsildar and other officials were present.
The following regulations were stated during the video conference to be compulsorily followed on suggestions by the chief minister to control the Covid-19 pandemic:
Mask and maintenance of social distance are mandatory. Masks should be worn and social distancing should be followed in passenger buses, trains, cinema theatres, malls, market places and places frequented by people. Officials have to take stringent action against violators.
Government order should be followed during the participation of people in gatherings and celebrations. Fine and legal action to be taken against violators.
RT-PCR negative report issued within the gap of 72 hours essential for people arriving in Karnataka from Maharashtra and Kerala.
People with Covid symptoms, people arriving from other states and vulnerable people should undergo mandatory Covid tests.
Senior citizens above 60 years of age and people between the age of 45 and 59 years with comorbidities (vulnerable) should obtain two doses of Covid-19 on priority at the nearest government or private hospital.
The chief minister said that the deputy commissioners have the freedom to exercise their power to implement necessary measures under the Epidemic Act 2020 to curb the second wave of Covid-19.