• Curbs back on marriage, funeral and political gatherings
• Kerala visitors must show RT-PCR test report to enter State

Bengaluru: Restrictions on marriages, last rites, religious and political functions have returned to warning by experts on the possibility of the second wave of Coronavirus in the State due to spike in positive cases.

This has come at a time when choultries and marriage halls were heaving a sigh of relief due to slide in positive cases. Now, the owners of marriage halls have to implement the new guidelines without showing laxity. Even citizens have to be careful about congregations.

The 83rd meeting of State-level COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee held on Thursday has asked the State Government to take emergent steps to check spread of cases.

In a press release,  Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary (Health), said the daily mandatory RT-PCR test has been revised in districts where more number of positive cases were reported in the last 10-15 days. Accordingly, Mysuru district has been given a target of 5,000 and 1,000 for Kodagu district. The Health Department officers of the districts concerned must make efforts to step up RT-PCR test compulsorily to check the spread of virus, he added.

Border districts

Akhtar said the RT-PCR negative report has been made mandatory for the visitors from Kerala and Maharashtra and it must be strictly followed in border check-posts. 

Deputy Commissioners of all districts must give message about the COVID-19 protocol, vaccination and precaution on regular basis, he noted.

More publicity

He said the Advisory Committee has suggested to the Government to scale-up vaccination drive to cover more number of people who were susceptible to Coronavirus. Messages by Chief Minister Yediyurappa and Health Minister Dr. Sudhakar on benefits of COVID-19 vaccine must be given wide publicity in print, visual and social media. Besides, Deputy Commissioners of all districts must give message about the COVID-19 protocol, vaccination and precaution on regular basis, he noted.

Details of restrictions on function

Function	People allowed
Marriage	Not more than 500 (in open places). Less than 200 in halls/ auditoriums/closed space)
Birthday / other functions	Not more than 100 in open spaces and less than 50 in halls/auditoriums/closed space
Death/funeral	Not more than 100 in open places and less than 50 in other places
Cremation/Burial	Not more than 50 persons
Other functions	Not more than 100 (according to hall                       dimension)
Religious function	Not over 500 in open places
Political functions	Not more than 500 in open places