Tamil Nadu ready to face potential third wave of COVID-19, assures Health Minister

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Tuesday told the state Assembly that the government headed by Chief Minister MK Stalin was prepared in all respects to face a potential third wave of COVID-19.

“The Chief Minister is reviewing the precautionary measures being taken to face any eventuality due to the third wave. I wish a third wave does not hit Tamil Nadu. But even if it comes, the state government is ready to face it,” Subramanian said. He was replying to the issues raised by his predecessor C Vijaya Basker during the discussion in the Assembly on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address.

During the past one-and-a-half months, 79,618 new beds have been created in the state and oxygen cylinders and concentrators are ready, he said.

Giving a detailed account of the efforts taken by the DMK government after it assumed power on May 7, the minister said the new cases per day had come down to 7,427 on Monday and the infection would drastically reduce within a few days.

As far as vaccination is concerned, during the current month, the state’s target was to vaccinate 42 lakh people and during July, the target was to vaccinate 71 lakh. On Monday alone, 3.96 lakh people had been vaccinated in Tamil Nadu.

“So far, the state has received 1.29 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine and 1.24 crore persons have been benefited by this. We still need 10 crore doses of the vaccine,” the minister said.

Stating that in the northern part of the country, people are being offered 20 kg of rice or wheat for taking the vaccine, he said in countries like Pakistan, it has been directed that government jobs cannot be given to those who fail to take the vaccination. But in Tamil Nadu, due to the awareness created by the Chief Minister, people wait for four to five hours to get vaccinated, he said. There is a lot of awareness about the need for getting vaccinated. So, in Tamil Nadu, vaccination has already become a people’s movement, he added.

Regarding the post-COVID complications faced by those infected, the minister said so far 2,510 persons have been affected by black fungus in Tamil Nadu and already 130 have been discharged from hospitals after getting treatment.

The Chief Minister had directed that special wards for those affected by black fungus should be opened in all government hospitals. Following this, these wards have been opened in all government hospitals in district headquarters. Sufficient stock of medicines for black fungus is being sent to the hospitals.