The Greater Chennai Corporation will launch services pertaining to medical assistance and COVID-19 vaccination for 3.36 lakh residents, who have hypertension and diabetes, in the 15 zones of the city.
Teams of Corporation employees have also been directed to give priority to such residents in vaccination in order to avert deaths in the event of a third wave. Most residents who died of the virus had hypertension and diabetes. More than 50% of the 3.36 lakh residents, who have been identified with hypertension and diabetes in the city, have not been vaccinated.
Volunteers to monitor
“Volunteers have been directed to monitor the condition of the 3.36 lakh residents at home. They will be given treatment at the Corporation’s primary health centres. The number of residents with hypertension and diabetes is likely to be higher,” an official said.
The 3.36 lakh residents will get free treatment at Corporation facilities.
While 1.55 lakh residents, who are on the Corporation’s list, have received the first dose, around 87,000 have received the second dose of the vaccines.
In addition to vaccination, the Corporation has also started increasing testing in the city to detect a possible third wave.
All primary and secondary contacts of COVID-19 positive patients have been tested. Over 22,000 tests are being conducted every day.
On Sunday, Corporation officials continued raids on large retail outlets in commercial areas.
Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi visited T. Nagar and advised traders to support the civic body’s initiatives to manage the COVID-19 situation. The Corporation will penalise commercial outlets that violate COVID-19 norms, he said.