Omicron Scare: Bengaluru Makes Both Vaccine Doses Mandatory For Entry To Malls, Theatres
After two cases of the Omicron variant were reported in Karnataka last week, the administration of the state has been on its toes and has tightened several guidelines to restrict any further spread of the new COVID-19 variant in the state.
Following this, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Sunday has said in an order that both doses of COVID-19 vaccine are mandatory for people to enter shopping complexes, malls, cinema halls and theatres in Bengaluru.
As per the order, owners and managers of such facilities have been instructed to ensure compliance to mask-wearing, social distancing and other COVID appropriate behaviours by the staff and general public at all times. They have also been instructed to assign necessary staff for screening and verification of vaccination certificates of staff and all customers and ensure only fully vaccinated are allowed to enter the premises.
These decisions have been taken in view of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19, two cases of which were detected in Karnataka.
The order read, “In view of the emerging situation and need for proactive surveillance, an order was issued by the Government of Karnataka mentioned at Reference 1 No. RD 158 TNR 2020 dated 03-12-2021. In line with the Govt. order mentioned at Reference 1, the following additional containment measures are issued.”
The guidelines in the official order of the BBMP state-
Two doses of Covid 19 vaccination are mandatory to avail entry into malls, shopping complexes, theatres, cinema halls.
Owners and/or managers shall ensure mask, social distancing and other COVID appropriate behaviour is maintained at all times by the staff and customers at all times.
Owners and/or managers shall assign necessary staff for screening and verification of vaccination certificate of staff and all customers, and ensure only fully vaccinated are allowed to enter the premises.
Meanwhile, 21 cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been reported across the country. Out of these 21 cases, nine have been reported in Rajasthan, eight in Maharashtra, two in Karnataka and one each in Delhi and Gujarat.
The new variant of COVID-19 was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 25. As per the WHO, the first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9 this year.
On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as ‘Omicron’. The WHO has classified Omicron as a ‘variant of concern’. Dozens of countries have imposed travel restrictions on the southern African nations since the mutation was discovered.
The new Omicron coronavirus variant has been confirmed in 23 countries and their number is expected to rise, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had said.
India has also added several countries to the list from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in the country, including post-arrival testing for infection.