COVID-19: Karnataka to form district-level expert panels to tackle potential third wave

In view of the anticipated third wave of COVID-19, the Karnataka government's Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) has suggested formation of the Technical Expert Committees (TEC) at the District Level. This committee will provide technical guidance to district administration to fight against COVID-19 pandemic. The TEC has to follow all the guidelines issued by the Centre and state government and organistaions like Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). 

In this regard a notification has been issued  by Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department. The TEC was formed based on the suggestion of the TAC, precisely to avoid the repeat of the experiences of the previous two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to several health experts, a third wave is expected to hit the country in October-November 2021. 

The TEC will be tasked with constantly monitoring the data at the district level and further comparing it with other districts and states. This will help the district administration as it will provide them with real-time data and any spike in the average cases can be quickly handled by appropriate public health actions and containment measures. The notification said that the TEC must assist the district administration to make key decisions that will help the state contain the virus and that are in consonance with guidelines of the state. 

The functioning of the TEC

The TEC will comprise Senior Specialists in Public Health/Comm. Medicine, District Surveillance Officer (DSO), Senior Pulmonologist, Senior Physician/ intensivist, Senior Paediatrician, Senior Obstetrician, Senior Microbiologist, Surveillance Medical Officer-WHO and Senior Ayush Physician. District Health and Family Welfare Officer along with the District Surgeon will also be invited to be a part of the committee. As per the government, the Committee will be meeting on a regular basis or more depending on the need of the situation and a copy of the proceedings shall be sent to Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare Services, Bengaluru through Deputy Commissioner. The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) will lay down the activities to be taken up and will handhold the District TECs in their functioning. 

(With PTI inputs)