So far, 77 per cent of the State’s population have been vaccinated with at least one dose and 41.6 per cent have completed the inoculation. The 10 mega vaccination drives have covered 1.94 crore people in TN.

Health Minister Ma Subramanian and Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan inspected the camp at the government hospital in Royapuram.

The Health Secretary instructed district administration and Corporation officials to urge those who haven’t been vaccinated to get their shots as TN’s COVID deaths data indicates that the risk for the unvaccinated is 3.5 times higher than the inoculated population.

He said about 95 per cent of COVID deaths in the past three months was among the unvaccinated population or those who had not taken the second dose.

As per data from August, September and October, 2011 persons have died and around 84 per cent of it, which is about 1,675 deaths, was unvaccinated and 11 per cent (227 deaths) had only taken the first dose.

“With a decline in the number of active cases, the public has stopped taking preventive measures seriously. With the cases coming down, we have to aim for virus suppression and prevent resurgence. At this stage, it would be extremely important to follow the five-fold strategy of COVID appropriate behaviour, test-track-treat and vaccination,” the Health Secretary said.