Civic administration, Karnataka govt. differ on extension of lockdown in Bengaluru

CM and Ministers in charge of city’s response are not in favour of an extension

Candidates at an interview for temporary 6-month posting as health care professionals, at Town Hall, on Friday. The civic body plans to recruit around 1,700 medical professionals to handle COVID-19 patients.

The civic administration, which is at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic in Bengaluru, wants an extension of the lockdown for at least another week. However, its view is at odds with that of the State government’s. Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, at a review meeting on Friday, reiterated that “lockdown is not a solution to control COVID-19 ”.

Mayor Gautam Kumar and BBMP Commissioner B.H. Anil Kumar told mediapersons on Friday that they had recommended extension for at least a week.

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Lockdown will not be extended in Bengaluru, stresses Yediyurappa

“The number of COVID-19 cases is on a steady rise. We think there is a strong case for extending the lockdown by a few more days,” said Mr. Gautam Kumar, who is from the BJP.

Mr. Anil Kumar said, “If the chain needs to be broken, there needs to be a lockdown of at least 15 days, which is the time period of a cycle of COVID-19. I personally think the lockdown must be extended at least till the end of the month.”

While the eight ministers put in charge of the eight zones of the city were part of the Chief Minister's review meeting, the civic administration was not. Sources who attended the meeting said that a majority of the eight ministers supported the CM’s view and were confident that the situation could be brought under control without extension of the lockdown.

“The hit the economy takes during a lockdown seems to be heavily weighing down on the Chief Minister’s mind. Then there is a counter argument that a lockdown for nearly three months did not prevent the rapid spread of the virus that the city is now witnessing. All it did was postpone the peak. The Chief Minister and several ministers argue that it is better to face the peak now,” said a senior functionary, who was part of the meeting.

‘Without an extension, one week lockdown will go to waste’

The civic administration, however, feels the rapid antigen testing it launched on Friday will provide results in the next week, and only a lockdown for at least one cycle of the infection can break the chain. “If the lockdown is not extended to cover at least one cycle of the infection, even the one week lockdown we are in now will go to waste,” a senior civic official said.

During a lockdown, social contact is significantly reduced and enforcement of anti-COVID-19 measures is strengthened. Bengaluru, which is currently witnessing a peak, is following the trajectory of other cities, such as Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai, that had to extend periods of lockdown and put in place severe restrictions to flatten the curve, a civic official pointed out. He added that even if the lockdown is lifted, all markets, malls, places of worship, hotels and any other crowded places, including public transport, must not be reopened.

“As per our studies, COVID-19 cases will continue to rise for at least another few weeks. The rapid antigen tests will only help us discover more cases in the coming weeks. But we need not worry about the rising cases, but we need to work towards preventing deaths,” said a senior health official.

An analysis of the data indicates that a majority of deaths may have been caused due to late hospitalisation.

“Delay in test results is one of the reasons, and we are working on it. Rapid antigen tests will again help in early diagnosis and hospitalisation,” the health official added.