Double COVID-19 vaccination rate in Bengaluru: BBMP instructs zonal officers

Bengaluru: Amid the second wave of the pandemic in the country, Zonal health officers in Bengaluru have been instructed to double the COVID-19 vaccination rate in the city, informed Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta on Tuesday, April 5.

While speaking to the media after a meeting with special commissioners, joint commissioners, and health commissioners, Gupta informed that at present, 35,000 people are being vaccinated on a daily basis.

“Zonal health officers have been instructed to double the vaccination rate in the city in the wake of the second COVID wave in Bengaluru. At present 35,000 people in the city are being vaccinated on daily basis,” he said.

The BBPM chief further informed that in order to increase vaccination, two lakh vaccines will arrive in the state on Wednesday.

“There is a dire need to increase the vaccination rate in the city. Asha workers have been instructed to raise awareness among those eligible for the vaccine and encourage them to get vaccinated. Additionally, the vaccination rate will be doubled as two lakh vaccines will arrive tomorrow,” he said.

“COVID-care centers are operating at Haj Bhavan and HAL in the city. Hotels with 50-bed capacity and unused buildings will be used at two to three areas at all zones as Covid care centers to isolate asymptomatic patients,” he added.

He further said that testing must especially increase in places where Covid-19 cases are on the rise.

“Most of the new cases in the country are coming from Maharashtra, Punjab and Kerala, so a check will be kept on people travelling from other states,” he said.

“About 20 per cent of the total bed capacity will be reserved in private hospitals. Previously, 50 per cent of beds were reserved for Covid patients. With the outbreak of the second wave, the beds must be reserved accordingly,” he added.

In the last 24 hours, 5,279 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Karnataka, including 3,728 in Bengaluru Urban, the state health department informed. There are currently 42,483 active cases and 12,657 deaths.