‘Back to work’ Karnataka…if CM has his way
No more Red/Orange/Green zones, we’ll seal clusters: Yedi tells PM
BENGALURU:
Reflecting the feeling of several of his cabinet ministers as well as business and industry in Karnataka, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa made a bold pitch for a more granular definition of Red, Orange and Green zones in his presentation at the Prime Minister’s video conference with chief ministers on Monday. The rationale behind freezing most activity in well-defined clusters is to start revving up the state’s economy while not letting the government’s guard down on preventing further spread of Covid-19.
On this aspect, perhaps the most significant in his presentation, the CM said, “We propose to do away with district-wise Red, Orange and Green zones. Only containment zones have to be identified and strictly cordoned off. 50 to 100 metres around known clusters may be declared containment zones. Commercial activities, including public transport, should be allowed in non-containment zones.”
Among the other points he made were the following:
- THE ‘4 ‘T’ PRINCIPLE: Ever since the beginning, our government has emphasized ‘Tracing, Tracking, Testing and Treating’. This has largely contributed in keep the numbers comparatively low.
- LAB FACILITIES: Our government has increased the number of testing facilities on a war footing. There were only 2 labs with a testing capacity of about 300 per day in February and today we have 35 labs with a testing capacity exceeding 6,000 tests per day. Our state recently crossed the 1 lakh tests milestone. We are on track to set up 60 labs by this month-eEnd.
- ILI AND SARI SCREENING: Till date, the government has identified and tested 4,419 SARI cases and 12,525 ILI cases.
- ONLINE TRAINING: Through the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, we have completed online training of 93,723 healthcare personnel across the state.
- AAROGYA SETU: A total of 58,10,813 persons have downloaded the Aarogya Setu app in Karnataka. The Aarogya Setu has been integrated with Aptha Mitra for telephonic monitoring and treatments of suspect cases.
- POSITIVE MESSAGING:It is vital to educate the population with the right positive messaging. COVID-19 is unfortunately becoming a stigma in the minds of people and it is our collective responsibility to educate the people that the coronavirus is just like any other virus or flu, but spreads more and affects people with co-morbidities.
- NO FLIGHTS: All domestic and international travel should be barred, at least till the end of May.
- QUARANTINE: All international travelers will be placed under compulsory institutional quarantine for 14 days. All interstate travellers will be placed under compulsory institutional quarantine and tested.
- PLACE OF ORIGIN CLEARANCE: All interstate traveLlers should be issued a health clearance certificate at the place of origin of journey by the local authorities/hospital. Those without a health clearance certificate to be placed under compulsory quarantine.
- TEST PARAMETERS: Establish a nationwide testing guideline to determine minimum number of tests per million to be carried out in each state. We must only test those with symptoms who need hospitalization.
- TELE MEDICINE: We must make tele-medicine the new protocol to approach this Pandemic. Only those with severe Symptoms should be hospitalized.
- COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY: To resume all economic activities in stand-alone establishments and continue the restrictions on malls, cinema halls, dining facilities and establishments with central air-conditioning.
- ELDER SAFETY: We must advise persons above 60 years and below 10 years to remain indoors and stay protected. Especially, those with co-morbidities have to protected with utmost care.
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