Chennai, Dec 31 (BPNS)
Tamil Nadu health department under the directions from Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin has taken stringent measures during the festival time to prevent the spike in Covid -19 cases.
The union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan had written a letter on Wednesday to Tamil Nadu health secretary, J. Radhakrishnan directing him to take stringent measures against the spread of disease and called the government to ramp up the number of tests.
The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) commissioner Gagan Singh Bedi has also directed the corporation officials to increase the testing to 25000 per day to isolate those who have been infected and to prevent further spread. Chennai and adjoining districts are expected to have a surge in cases, according to information available from the GCC and the state health department.
The GCC commissioner on Thursday held a meeting with the City police commissioner, Shankar Jaiswal in the presence of Dr. J. Radhakrishnan, and assessed the situation in the city. The health secretary told media persons that Chennai corporation has already set up 10,000 oxygen beds anticipating a surge in Covid -19 cases.
The health secretary also said that the corporation has already done contact tracing positively and had even traced up to 4300 contacts of a single infected person.
The corporation, revenue, and police department have jointly constituted zonal enforcement teams to prevent the spread of Covid -19 and to penalize those who are not following Covid -19 appropriate behaviour including failure to wear masks, social distancing, and use of sanitizer and regular washing of hands.
The zonal enforcement team will work in two shifts on Friday expecting a confluence of people during the New Year celebration even though Chennai has forbidden public celebrations. A team will work from night 10 pm to 3 am and inspect hotels, restaurants, and other public places regarding compliance of Covid appropriate behaviour.
The corporation will also strictly monitor marriage halls and fine those who cater to more people than the stipulated number of guests announced by the corporation.
The GCC commissioner said that 5 lakh people in Chennai are yet to take the first dose of the vaccine and 8 lakh people have to take the second dose even after the lapse of their stipulated time for vaccination. He said that taking vaccines will reduce the effect of the disease and called upon people to inoculate themselves during the mega vaccine camp to be held on Sunday.
