Government of Karnataka’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Feb 2020–April 14, 2020)
Distilled Policy Brief
- On March 11, 2020, the Government of Karnataka promulgated the Karnataka Epidemic Disease COVID-19 Regulations 2020 to specify hospital protocols for screening and treating patients.
- On April 6, 2020, the Department issued instructions to all districts to prepare a District Level Crisis Management Plan to prevent large outbreaks.
- Guidelines required hospitals to maintain a 10-bed isolation ward and established fever clinics staffed by a Rapid Response team of one doctor, two nurses, and a health care worker.
🎯 Prelims High-Yield Examination Points
District Level Crisis Management Plans and local containment regulations during biological public health emergencies.
⚖️ Mains Analytical & Syllabus Linkages
Evaluate the role of state-level regulations and decentralized administrative planning in managing biological disasters.
🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
With reference to the response measures undertaken by the Government of Karnataka in early 2020 to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, consider the following statements: 1. The Karnataka Epidemic Disease COVID-19 Regulations 2020 specified hospital protocols for screening and treating patients and were valid for a period of one year. 2. Guidelines mandated hospitals to maintain a 10-bed isolation ward and set up fever clinics staffed by a Rapid Response team of one doctor, two nurses, and a health care worker. 3. Districts were instructed to prepare a District Level Crisis Management Plan to prevent large outbreaks. Which of the statements given above are correct?
- [A] 1 and 2 only
- [B] 2 and 3 only
- [C] 1 and 3 only
- [D] 1, 2 and 3
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
All three statements are correct according to the official state policy measures. Statement 1 is correct as the regulations were promulgated on March 11, 2020, specifying protocols valid for one year. Statement 2 is correct as guidelines required a 10-bed isolation ward and fever clinics with the specified Rapid Response team composition. Statement 3 is correct as instructions were issued on April 6, 2020, to prepare District Level Crisis Management Plans.
🏛️ Historical Twin PYQ Anchor (2021)
Consider the following statements regarding the "National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)": 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2. Central Pollution Control Board acts as the sole regulatory executive body.