Covid advisory panel recommends 14-day lockdown in Karnataka

Bengaluru: With Bengaluru recording 1.5 lakh active coronavirus cases, the highest for any city in the country, the Karnataka Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 has asked the State government to impose stringent restrictions, including lockdown for 14 days to break the chain.

The members of the panel have also recommended increase in the number of beds to tide over the crisis.

The TAC members also foresee a third wave in October-November and have, accordingly, insisted that the government should complete the vaccination of vulnerable age groups before the next wave hits.

Professor and Head of Lifecourse Epidemiology, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), Giridhar Babu told PTI: "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."

According to him, the 14 days lockdown will reduce the number of infections.

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, C N 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.

"The most important is when the cases come down, we should not let the guard down. Wearing of facemask and physical distancing should continue while most importantly congregation should be banned," he told PTI.

The health experts were of the opinion that the healthcare system is totally suffocated. "In the first phase, the cases were coming in a staggered manner. So the daily rise in a particular State was 200 to 300 cases. Now it's in thousands," the cardiologist said.

Giridhar Babu too concurred with him.

"The BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) has informed the high court that there are no more ICU beds.