The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday directed the State government to submit a status report on the investigation taken up based on the First Information Report (FIR) registered in connection with the alleged blocking of beds earmarked for COVID-19 patients in hospitals.
A special division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar issued the directions while hearing PIL petitions related to COVID-19 issues.
Earlier many advocates representing the petitioners pointed out that it is impossible to get a bed through Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s central bed management system while pointing out that some COVID-19 patients had chosen to find beds in neighbouring districts after failing to get beds in hospitals in the city.
On vaccine shortage, the bench directed the government to submit a report on status of vaccination while pointing out that administering the second dose of vaccine is vital as the first dose of vaccine would be of no use if people are unable to get the second dose within the prescribed time schedule.
“It will be a national waste if the second dose cannot be given within the scheduled time,” the bench observed while directing the government to clarify on the confusion over availability of vaccine and administration of the second dose of vaccine.
