People above 60, those with comorbidities can get Covid vaccine at dist hospitals: K'taka minister
Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister for Medical Education Dr Sharan Prakash Patil on Tuesday said people above 60 years and those with comorbidities can get vaccinated for the Covid-19 from January 3 onwards at the district hospitals in the wake of rising infections of JN-1 sub-variant.
The minister, however, underlined that there was no need to panic and urged people to take precautionary measures to tackle the spread of the virus.
In the wake of rising cases of JN-1 sub-variant of Covid-19 in the state, the minister convened a meeting with the heads of medical institutions and hospitals coming under the purview of the medical education department along with the head of the Covid-19 Technical Advisory Committee and its members here.
Patil reviewed the prevailing situation and took stock of the preparedness to tackle Covid-19 in the state.
ALSO READ: K'taka registers 296 new Covid-19 cases and one death
After the meeting the minister said in a statement that there was no specific direction from the Central government on new vaccines.
"We will give the same vaccines that were administered during the first and second wave of the pandemic and the people above 60 years and those with comorbidities can get vaccinated at district hospitals from Wednesday," Patil said.
According to him, the experts have opined that the JN-1 sub-variant is likely to spread rapidly but unlikely to cause serious health issues. So there was no need to panic.
He also said that the government will not issue orders making masks mandatory but people need to be careful at crowded places.
"Even though the WHO and many health experts have stated that the JN-1 sub-variant is unlikely to cause serious health problems for infected people, I've instructed the officials to be vigilant and take precautionary measures and create awareness among the people. The state has received 30,000 Covid vaccines from the Centre and we have taken all the steps to prevent shortage," said the minister.
Clarifying about the availability of medicine, oxygen beds and equipments, the minister denied cash crunch regarding purchase of those items. He said a proposal will be sent to the finance department regarding purchase of equipments and recruitment of staff in some hospitals.
Explaining the cause of death of the 10 people who died in the state recently, Dr Patil denied that Covid was the cause and said that the patients had been suffering from various diseases. He further added that nine out of 10 people were suffering from heart, kidney and other ailments and one person from Mangaluru was an alcoholic and was not vaccinated.
Regarding the meeting with the officials, the minister said he has directed the officials to reserve 50 beds for Covid patients in each district hospital According to him, 18,141 beds in medical colleges, 10,000 in government hospitals and 11,500 beds coming under the Health and Family Welfare department are available for Covid patients.
The minister said testing capacities and healthcare facilities will be augmented in all districts and arrangements have been made for separate oxygen beds and ICUs in all government medical institutions Stating that 30,000 vaccines are presently available, Patil appealed to people who have missed vaccination and booster shots to avail of this facility.
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Hundreds of TVK supporters return disappointed from cancelled swearing in ceremony venue
Chennai (PTI): Hundreds of TVK supporters, fuelled by the hope of seeing their leader Vijay as chief minister, gathered at Nehru Indoor Stadium in the city on Thursday, only to be met with locked gates and a lack of information regarding the scheduled proceedings.
Many supporters, travelling from various parts of the state, near and far, like Arumbakkam and Coimbatore, expressed deep disappointment and confusion upon finding the premises closed and without official communication.
Speaking to PTI Videos, fans and party loyalists described a sense of heartbreak after arriving early to secure a place in line.
Charulatha, a supporter, noted the emotional toll of the situation: "We came with so much joy thinking he would become the chief minister today, but there is nothing here. The gates are closed. It is very painful."
Sai Deepika, her daughter and a student set to enter the 12th grade, shared her excitement for the event: "I was very excited to be here. I have been telling everyone he will win and do good things for the people."
A visibly distressed Gunasundari, a long-time political observer from a family of AIADMK supporters, stated she shifted her loyalty to Vijay: "I publicly say I voted for Vijay. I have a belief that he will help those in need. Seeing the gates closed like this is a shock."
Despite the confusion on the ground, the gathered crowd remained steadfast in their political choice. Several supporters highlighted Vijay’s decision to fund party activities independently as a key reason for their trust.
"He didn't take a single rupee from the people for his flag or the stage. He did it all himself," said an emotional Gunasundari. "Even if they try to shame him or create obstacles, he is the one who will eventually win."
Many attendees cited news reports and social media claims as their reason for arriving early on Thursday morning. Some supporters mentioned they had travelled via public transport and waited for hours under the impression that an official declaration or event was imminent.
"My son told me that declarations were made yesterday and everyone was coming today," Gunasundari added. "I didn't even tell him I was leaving; I just started my journey to see him in person for the first time".
