Soft beginning for total lockdown in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: After weeks of partial lockdown and a couple of complete lockdown on Sundays alone, Tamil Nadu on Monday entered into continuous days of complete lockdown for the first time this year amidst a surge in Covid-19 cases during the second wave.
The lockdown will be in force till May 24.
The DMK government, that came to power on Friday, has its task cut out. On Monday, police personnel across the state were busy verifying the credentials of people who ventured out. Only food delivery agents, media personnel, construction workers, hospital staff are among the few who are exempted.
There will be no public transport and even government departments except for the essential ones do not require staff to go to office.
In Chennai, while the roads were not entirely deserted as essential services and provision and other shops were allowed until noon, police personnel were flagging down vehicles to check if people are coming out unnecessarily.
Similar was the case across the state as public movement was not entirely restricted, but officials expect things to fall in place in a couple of days. In Madurai, the public had queued up outside the Madurai Medical College, waiting to avail Remedesivir drug.
“Even last year, the intense lockdown had shown desired results, with the number of active cases coming down in most of the state,” an official with Chennai Corporation said.