Karnataka’s COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), that met here on Monday to take stock of a slight uptick in cases, has recommended reintroducing compulsory face masking in public places.
Advising that the services of marshals and police should be used to ensure strict compliance as a first step, the TAC has said that if there is no public cooperation, after five to seven days, the State should issue an order under Disaster Management Act and enforce the same with penalty for defaulters.
“After reviewing the current situation of COVID-19 in the State and Bengaluru in particular, it is recommended that stricter actions should be taken immediately, starting from Bengaluru. Compulsory face masking (use of N95 face masks) should be reintroduced in public places, crowded areas and closed spaces such as busy markets, exhibitions, marriage halls, shopping malls, buses, trains, offices, commercial establishments, educational institutions and all air-conditioned halls including cinema halls,” stated the TAC’s report.
BBMP officials had on Monday said that civic marshals will be deployed at all public places to create awareness and ensure people wear masks. “They will not levy penalties for not wearing masks but will create awareness,” Harish Kumar, BBMP Special Commissioner had said.
Sewage surveillance
Sewage surveillance in Bengaluru city, Bengaluru airport and Mangaluru airport that was earlier recommended by the TAC has commenced from May 19. This surveillance has been entrusted to the Infectious Diseases Research Foundation (IDRF).
Now, the TAC has recommended that a technical appraisal team be set up to ensure that sewage surveillance is under constant technical and administrative monitoring. “The team should have a nodal officer from the health department and include representatives from TAC, National Institute of Virology (NIV), NCBS, BBMP, WHO-Bengaluru unit and head of the department of Microbiology at BMCRI. Bi-weekly progress reports should be shared with the TAC for a technical appraisal,” the report stated.
For animal surveillance — that has been entrusted to the Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals — the TAC has advised the government to send a reminder to the institute to undertake the activity as planned soon.
Caution advised
Following the Centre’s letter to Karnataka on the rise in cases between the weeks ending May 27 and June 3, the TAC said, “Overall, the situation is fluctuating, but not showing any significant and continued rise in the cases. Also the number of hospitalisations and deaths are low and practically nil. Sewage surveillance has reported positivity from Bengaluru East and based on past experience of commencement of the wave this needs to be carefully watched for any continued rise in the cases in the State capital.”
“However, in view of small local surges and as over 95% of cases being reported from Bengaluru, a minimum of 20,000 tests should be done in Bengaluru daily and 10,000 should be done in the rest of Karnataka. All ILI and SARI cases should be compulsorily tested in all hospitals, Besides, compulsory random testing of 2% of international arrivals and testing of symptomatic primary contacts is a must,” the report added.
