No lockdown in Bengaluru from tomorrow, CM Yediyurappa confirms

Confirming that there will be no further lockdown in Karnataka, Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, on Tuesday, urged citizens to allow routine life to progress by following strict social distancing norms and use of masks.

Here are some of the major announcements:

-Lockdown is not a solution for COVID-19, as much as people wear masks and follow other measures, we can reduce COVID-19 infections, says Karnataka CM Yediyurappa

-’Economy is also very important'- BSY

-’There will be no lockdown in Bengaluru from tomorrow. However, I humbly request the people of Karnataka — with folded hands — to wear masks and to practise social distancing. This is the only way to combat COVID-19 at least till a vaccine is found," he said in a video address streamed online from 5 pm on Tuesday.

-He also said that the state had succeeded in keeping the infection under control, but the situation is different now. ‘Cases are increasing now. We can contain this only with the cooperation from all’, he added.

-Bengaluru’s local civic body the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has formed a special COVID-19 Task Force similar to that of the state COVID Task Force in a bid to strategise containment measures more efficiently.

-The task force is expected to hold meetings every alternate day, to begin with, to discuss issues and solutions related to the coronavirus situation in the city.

-A real time dashboard has been put in place to track beds for COVID-19 patients, says CM Yediyurappa

-Meanwhile, the state government Monday decided to go ahead with the Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) 2020 scheduled to be held on July 30 and 31.

-As per the Standard Operating Procedure issued after a high-level meeting, the Karnataka Examination Authority has been asked not to chose centres used for quarantine purposes for the test.

-Even asymptomatic COVID-19 candidates will be allowed to write KCET 2020. Quarantine rules have been relaxed for students from other states.

-Responding to the opposition's claims that the government had indulged in corruption while procuring ventilators and other equipment related to the pandemic, Yediyurappa said, ‘We are ready to provide any information related to Covid-19 purchases within 24 hours.’

-''People who came from Maharastra and Tamil Nadu added to the COVID19 cases in Karnataka...The experts have advised to use 5 'T' formula-Tracing, Tracking, Testing, Treating and using Technology. Citizens in Bengaluru need not be panicked about availability of beds. We have set up dashboard for sharing information on bed availability,’ Yediyurappa said.

-'I appeal to infected people not to lose heart and resort to desperate measures of ending life. 98% of infected people have recovered. Lab result is available in Bengaluru in just 24 hours. Private hospitals have agreed to give 50% beds for COVID19 patients,'' chief minister said.

Inputs from: PTI, OneIndia