'Get vaccinated if you want to enter public places': Madurai collector to residents amid Omicron threat

MADURAI: Collector Dr S Aneesh Sekhar has banned unvaccinated residents of the district from visiting public places including markets, hotels, shopping malls, movie theatres, hotels, marriage halls, TASMAC and PDS shops.

Earlier last month, the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine issued a circular making Covid vaccination mandatory to enter public places, by invoking the provisions under the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939.

The Health Minister Ma Subramanian who briefed journalists at Madurai airport on Thursday mentioned that the Collectors could take a call on imposing the restriction on unvaccinated persons; it could be done at districts with low vaccination coverage.

He added that the Madurai district's vaccination performance was poor, recording only 71 per cent first dose coverage and 32 per cent second dose coverage while the state average stood at 79 per cent and 44 per cent respectively. 

A day after the Minister's statements, Madurai district Collector Dr S Aneesh Sekhar, on Friday, announced the ban on unvaccinated residents visiting public places.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, the Collector said, "The order comes into immediate effect. Only those carrying vaccination certificates would be allowed to enter public places. However, a one-week grace period will be given to the public to get themselves vaccinated with atleast one dose of Covid vaccine by making use of the two mega Covid vaccination camps to be held on December 4 and 11."

Teams comprising officials from health department and local bodies would conduct surprise inspections on implementation of the order by the staff/employers, he added. 

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