Karnataka forms cabinet panel to oversee Covid-related issues

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao to oversee it

Covid outbreak has left many worried

A four-member cabinet sub-committee, led by Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, has been formed by the state government to oversee the management of Covid-19 infections.

Other than Rao, social welfare minister HC Mahadevappa, medical education minister Sharan Prakash Patil and higher education minister MC Sudhakar are in the committee.

As per a state government order, the cabinet sub-committee will work in close coordination with the Covid-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The health and family welfare department will provide assistance for organizing meetings and providing recommendations to the government.

On Friday, Minister Gundu Rao announced that the inaugural meeting of the cabinet sub-committee for Covid-19 management is scheduled to take place in Bengaluru on December 25. Discussions will ensue with the Centre to consider revisions to the guidelines, if deemed necessary.

Following a review meeting, the health minister assured reporters that there is no need for panic, emphasizing the importance of caution. Currently, no restrictions will be enforced, and the mandatory wearing of masks is not being implemented. However, the minister urged individuals to wear masks in crowded spaces.

The Karnataka government has issued an advisory recommending that individuals aged 60 years and above, those with comorbidities such as kidney, heart, and liver ailments, pregnant women, and lactating mothers wear face masks when outdoors. Furthermore, this vulnerable demographic is strongly urged to avoid visiting enclosed, poorly ventilated spaces, and crowded areas. Additionally, a special circular has been distributed to authorities in districts bordering Kerala and Tamil Nadu, instructing them to exercise vigilance, conduct thorough testing, and promptly report any cases of Covid-19.