Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar in an interview with The Hindu on Friday says the extended lockdown will help Tamil Nadu intensify preventive measures in its COVID-19 containment zones. Excerpts:
What does the extended lockdown mean for Tamil Nadu in its battle against COVID-19?
It will certainly help in a more focused approach in preventing the spread of COVID-19. We will intensify preventive measures in containment areas and create more awareness among people on the safety protocol. Physical distancing is key. I am sure that the extended lockdown will help in flattening the curve in Tamil Nadu.
What steps are being taken to increase green zones?
Presently, Krishnagiri alone is in the green zone. But many districts have not seen fresh cases for many days. No new case has been reported in The Nilgiris in the last 19 days. Kanniyakumari, Erode and Vellore have not had fresh cases in the last 16, 15 and 13 days, respectively. The focus will be on taking effective measures to prevent the spread and classify these districts as orange and then green zones. There are many more districts where no new cases were reported for over a week. The Chief Minister is also monitoring and reviewing the situation on a daily basis and giving instructions accordingly.
What is the status on contact tracing of patients?
We have done extensive contact tracing by adopting a scientific approach, as done in some developed countries. Thousands of such contacts were quarantined for a minimum 14 days.
What are the common symptoms of patients in Tamil Nadu? How is the prognosis and recovery rate?
At least 90% patients are asymptomatic. Tamil Nadu has the highest recovery rate of 57% in the country. Doctors are saying that the prognosis is very good. Of the 1,800-odd positive patients in government hospitals, not even one is in a ventilator. A majority of them will be discharged soon. Aggressive testing even in green zones is one way of identifying asymptomatic persons.
Did the ‘intensified lockdown’ in major cities, including Chennai, help?
It was done to prevent the spread of cases, particularly in Chennai. We believe the lockdown helped minimise the spread in red zones. Cases in the last two days in Chennai mostly came from localities that were already declared containment areas. We will be able to bring down the number drastically in a few days.
How is the T.N. strategy different from other States?
We are at the forefront in testing, treatment protocol and recovery. We account for 14% of the 9.02 lakh samples tested in India. We have tested 165 samples per lakh population — much better than States like Maharashtra, with a higher population.
Health professionals are suggesting developing herd immunity…
Our approach to managing COVID-19 is guided by the strategy devised by a high-level expert team and infectious diseases experts like Dr. V. Ramasubramanian. At every stage, we consult these experts on how to handle situations. We have made an appeal to senior citizens and people with co-morbid symptoms to strictly remain indoors. That the comprehensive COVID-19 management strategy will ultimately lead to herd immunity is my belief.