Following a rise in the number of Covid cases across the state, Karnataka’s Covid Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) has recommended penalising people who fail to mask up in public places.
The TAC members who met on Thursday held a detailed discussion over the rising Covid cases in the state and recommended that those failing to mask up must not be allowed to enter government institutions.
"It is evident that the number of cases is rising. Hence, following Covid-appropriate behaviour (CAB) and improving vaccine coverage is the need of the hour. Hence the recommendation," a TAC member told DH.
That apart, experts also raised concerns over the delay in the arrival of genome sequencing results and asked the officials to expedite the process.
"Only when we have official data on hand regarding new variants can we chalk out plans to contain the disease. It takes nearly over a month to get the results. We need to expedite the results," an expert who was part of the TAC discussion said.
In their recommendation for apartment complexes and Residents Welfare Associations (RWAs), the TAC suggested that housemaids or domestic helps could be allowed to assist the Covid-affected families provided the maids are healthy and take precautionary measures.
"We have heard from RWAs on the confusion over allowing maids into the apartment complexes given that the number of Covid cases is rising. Hence, we have suggested that the maids be allowed if they are below the age of 60 and are healthy. However, they will have to ensure they wear an N95 mask and stay away from the rooms in which Covid patients have isolated themselves," a TAC member said.
The committee also asked the health department to collect the RT-PCR samples of all positive cases reported in a cluster or an outbreak and send them for genome sequencing.
"Though isolation measures can be implemented with an RAT positive result, we should also take an RT-PCR and send it for genome sequencing," experts said.
The TAC has also asked the department to focus on testing symptomatic people rather than mass testing the asymptomatic ones.
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