Omicron Alert: Karnataka Issues Fresh Guidelines, Only Fully Vaccinated Citizens to be Allowed in Malls, Theatres

According to the government order, parents of children below 18 years who are going to school or college, should be compulsorily vaccinated with two doses of COVID vaccine.

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has issued fresh guidelines in view of the Omicron variant scare in the state a day after the Centre confirmed the detection of India’s first cases of the new variant from Bengaluru. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday chaired a meeting with experts, senior Ministers and officials in the wake of two cases of Omicron variant being detected in the state.

Sharing details about measures decided by the government, Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka said international travellers arriving in the state will be tested at the airports; only after their reports come out negative, they will be allowed to go out, and for the benefit of the passengers, instructions have been given to set up more testing units there. Instructions have also been given to take precautionary measures for existing Delta variants, along with Omicron, he said.

Govt postpones all events in educational institutes till Jan 15. Citizens are allowed into theatres, multiplexes, shopping malls only if they're fully vaccinated. No change in number of people (max 500) allowed to attend marriage functions: K'taka Revenue Minister R Ashoka pic.twitter.com/91bx8lJFNn

— ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2021

According to the government order, parents of children below 18 years who are going to school or college, should be compulsorily vaccinated with two doses of COVID vaccine. Entry to malls, cinema halls or theatres shall be allowed only to those who are vaccinated against Covid with two doses. Cultural activities or fests and functions in all educational institutions should be postponed till January 15, 2022.

Full list of Covid SOPs issued by Karnataka government in view of Omicron threat:

1. People will not be allowed to enter cinema halls and malls unless they are completely vaccinated.
2. Students won’t be allowed to attend offline classes unless parents are completely vaccinated.
3. Schools and universities have been directed to postpone all cultural activities till January 15, 2022.
4. Passengers will not be allowed to leave the airport until their Covid report is out.
5. All gatherings, meetings, conferences, etc, should strictly limit the number of participants to 500 people only and COVID appropriate behaviour shall be strictly enforced during the event. The responsibility to enforce the same, lies with the organisers.
6. Compulsory testing of health workers, old persons above 65 years and persons with comorbidities will be undertaken by the Government, it said.
7. Noting that government servants shall be vaccinated with two doses of COVID l9 vaccine, the order said wearing face masks is an essential preventive measure.
8. In order to strictly enforce the core requirement of masking, BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike), district and local authorities shall impose a fine of Rs 250 in Municipal Corporation Areas and Rs 100 in other areas for any violation in this regard, it said.
9. There shall be intensive containment (micro containment measures) and active surveillance in clusters or areas reporting higher cases to contain the spread locally, it said, adding that strict surveillance at the border posts setup by the districts adjoining Kerala and Maharashtra shall continue.
10. Ashoka further said instructions have been given to the Health department to increase the number of tests per day to 1 lakh from the current 60,000.

(With inputs from agencies)