KARNATAKA TO VACCINATE OVERSEAS STUDENTS, WORKING PROFESSIONALS FOR COVID-19

BENGALURU: In a bid to expand the list of preferential groups for Covid-19 vaccination, the Karnataka government on Monday started vaccinating students and working professionals travelling overseas for employment.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr. Ashwath Narayan who launched the vaccination campaign said, earlier, vaccination confirmation was not attached with the passport but with the PAN card and Adhar card. But now, to facilitate the students and employees going abroad it has been linked with passport. About 300 people took the vaccine on Monday, and the process is said to be continued.

Considering the interest of these groups, the minimum time gap between Covishield shots has been reduced from 12 weeks to slightly below 6 weeks. But, further decrease in this time gap will not be possible as vaccination becomes ineffective, he explained.

To another query about the availability of drugs for mucormycosis (black fungus), he admitted that there was a shortage of liposomal amphotericin which is in demand as a drug of choice. But he pointed out that there were other drugs available to treat this. He also informed that tender for 1 lakh vials of liposomal amphotericin has been floated. In addition to this measures have been taken to procure 3 lakh emulsion amphotericin, 22,000 other injections, and tablets, he told.

The government will take a feasible decision about the continuation or easing of lockdown restrictions based on experts’ opinion and facts & figures, DyCM& State Covid task force head Dr.C.N.Ashwatha Narayana, stated on Tuesday.

There is a possibility of the positivity rate dropping down if testing is done in a 1:10 ratio (for each positive case 10 contacts to be tested). But whatever the case, the decision about lockdown will be taken by the government after considering experts’ opinions and thorough discussion, he pointed out. Puttanna, MLC, Prof.Lingaraju Gandhi, Vice-Chancellor, Dr.Ramesh, Registrar, P.Pradeep, Commissioner, Department of Collegiate education were present.