CHENNAI: Asserting that adequate doses of
Covid-19 vaccine are available in
Tamil Nadu, chief minister Edappadi K
Palaniswami on Monday called upon the government staff to get vaccinated within two weeks.
The management of industries, government offices, workplaces, markets and residential complexes should contact the Greater Chennai Corporation/district administration to arrange for
vaccination.
Palaniswami held a review meeting at the secretariat with the head of the departments. “The public should get vaccinated in nearby hospitals. The management of industries, restaurants and the markets should arrange for vaccination to employees. If the management reaches the government hospitals, the government is ready to vaccinate on the premises. We have adequate doses of vaccine,” the chief minister said.
He appealed to people to avoid crowding in public places. He asked them to wear masks, maintain social distance and follow the government’s standard operating procedures.
In a slew of directions to the departments, Palaniswami said that all eligible people should get vaccinated. The administrative machinery should reassure the people about the vaccine.
“Vaccination is done in primary health centres, government hospitals, mini clinics and private hospitals. The state administered 37.8 lakh vaccine doses until Sunday to health staff, frontline workers, election staff and people above 45 years,” an official release said, quoting the chief minister. The state has received 54.85 lakh doses of vaccine from the
Centre until Sunday.
The chief minister said the administration should conduct 90,000
RT-PCR tests a day, besides increased and aggressive testing in affected areas. The results should come out in 24 hours.
Tracing of a minimum 25-30 contacts of the infected people should be expedited and they should undergo RT-PCR tests.
“Fever camps should be set up across the state and diagnose those with symptoms of cold and fever and treat them,” the release said. The state government has set up 8.92 lakh fever camps till date and treated 14.47 lakh people with symptoms of fever.
As many as 1,309 containment zones were identified as on April 10 and intensive monitoring measures were taken.
One of the directions is that the areas of three or more affected people must be declared a micro-containment zone and preventive measures taken against the spread. Infected people should be either taken to Covid care centre or exclusive Covid hospitals as per protocol.
More beds, ventilators, high flow nasal cannula, medicines and personal protective equipment should be kept ready, besides 108 ambulances to avoid any delay in treatment, the release said.
The chief minister also directed the health, local bodies, police and revenue staff to impose fine on violators of standard operating procedures. A sum of Rs 17.92 crore has been collected from 16.37 lakh violators until April 10.
“The officials concerned should monitor the standard operating procedures being followed in public gathering places like markets, places of worship and cultural events,” the release said.
public and private hospitals should follow standard treatment protocol to reduce deaths due to Covid-19. Control rooms of the directorate of public health and district headquarters should function round the clock.