Demand to Impose Complete Lockdown in Karnataka Grows Louder Amid Alarming Rise in Covid Cases. Read Details

Bengaluru: Since coronavirus cases are rising rapidly across the state, the Karnataka Task Advisory Committee (TAC) on COVID-19 has asked the BS Yediyurappa-led government to implement strict restrictions, including 2-week lockdown to curb the spread. Currently, the state has imposed night curfew and weekend curfews while ordering the closure of many shops and business establishments to contain the alarming rise in COVID cases. The weekend curfew will be in force across the state till May 4. Also Read – Demand to Impose Complete Lockdown in Karnataka Grows Louder Amid Alarming Rise in Covid Cases. Read Details

Notably, the TAC members have also predicted the third wave of COVID in October-November and have, accordingly, insisted that the government should complete the vaccination of vulnerable age groups before the next wave hits. “I have on record said that there are two main strategies. Firstly, we need to reduce the number of cases and that will happen only by a stringent lockdown for at least 14 days. Secondly, we should expand the bed capacity by taking as much as possible beds from all the private medical colleges, nursing homes and hospitals”, Professor and Head of Lifecourse Epidemiology, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), Giridhar Babu told news agency PTI.

The members of the panel have also recommended to the government to increase the number of beds to tide over the crisis. The TAC member said the state may witness the peak of the second wave by the May end or the first week of June. 

Eminent cardiologist and director of the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, CN Manjunath said he had in November 2020 predicted the arrival of the second wave of COVID in March or April based on the pattern of spread and resurgence in Europe. While the COVID cases may come down by May end or the first week of June, people’s behaviour for the next six to nine months will hold the key.

Facemask wearing and physical distancing should continue while most importantly congregation should be banned,” he told PTI.

With 26,962 infections on Friday, the state touched the highest single-day spike in COVID cases. More alarming was that the active cases in the state crossed two lakh mark of which 1.5 lakh are in Bengaluru alone.