The total lockdown on Sunday has broken the spread of COVID-19, Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan said on Tuesday after inspecting the Communicable Diseases Hospital at Tondiarpet.
“As far as COVID-19 is concerned, due to the lockdown on Sunday, there is a break. This is a good signal. If we continue to wear masks and do not go to public places unnecessarily, we will soon be able to prevent the spread of the contagion,” he told reporters. With the cases falling in the last two days, “we can plateau or reduce” the number of infections, if people cooperated.
Dr. Radhakrishnan urged people not to come out of their homes over the next few days and follow the restrictions. At many shops, air-conditioners were switched off. “In Tamil Nadu, we should be careful. We do not have such a high number of infections as in neighbouring States, but people should be careful because 30% of those diagnosed require hospitalisation,” he said.
He said many people went directly to hospitals but the government followed the guidelines issued by the World Health Organization to triage patients. The procedure involved identifying people with symptoms and testing them. The Chennai Corporation had arranged for vehicles to transport people for testing. “The benefit is that when people get X-ray and blood profile done at one of the 12 screening centres in the city, they are segregated according to the severity of their condition. Please make full use of the screening centres,” he said.
At a function organised by the Rotary Club of Madras at the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality on the Omandurar Government Estate to donate vehicles and equipment to store and transport vaccines, Dr. Radhakrishnan said the State had taken the “revolutionary” decision to sell Remdesivir directly to patients to prevent its sale on the black market from Gujarat to hospitals in the city. The drug is administered to patients who are on oxygen support.
On complaints that there was a shortage of the drug, Dr. Radhakrishnan said it was sold only the basis of some documents issued by hospitals and the patient’s family. Furthermore, the Union government had given the State 59,000 doses for the period from April 21 to 30. The State had also written to the Centre, seeking more doses. Since it was a dynamic situation, the Health Department was constantly monitoring the situation and would take action not only to manage the crowd but also to provide the medicine seamlessly.
On the decision to administer the vaccine free of cost to those aged above 45, he said the Union government had not laid out the details. However, the vaccine would be administered free at government hospitals.
IMA’s appeal
The Indian Medical Association’s Tamil Nadu State Branch has thanked the government for easing the procurement of Remdesivir. It has appealed for immediate arrangements for the sale of the drug in Tiruchi, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Salem, Hosur, Nagercoil, Vellore and Dindigul.
