The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday decided to constitute an expert group to intensify the COVID-19 vaccination drive in the districts and urban centres where the spread of the infection is high. The expert group would undertake a targeted vaccination approach.
In a statement, Chief Secretary Rajeev Ranjan said the government had also decided to constitute a core group, comprising senior officials, to monitor the COVID-19 scenario on a daily basis and submit its report to him. It would also come up with a road map for managing the surge in cases and preventing the spread of the virus.
The panel would have senior officials from the Revenue, Health, Local Administration and Police Departments, among others, and officials from the Greater Chennai Corporation and district administrations.
The decision to form these panels was taken at a meeting chaired by Mr. Ranjan at the Secretariat and attended by senior officials and public health experts.
The Union Health Ministry’s decision to include those above 45 years of age (even without comorbidities) in the vaccination drive from April 1 had facilitated the vaccination of those in this age group, the statement said.
“Eateries in commercial complexes and cinema halls should strictly comply with the Standard Operating Procedures issued in this regard. Those managing these [outlets] and the general public should realise that violating the guidelines would only lead to additional restrictions,” it added.
Action would be taken against event organisers and managers and owners of indoor venues in case of violation of norms restricting audiences to 50% or not more than 600 people. The organisers have to ensure that those in the audience wear face masks.
Encourage vaccination
Factories and companies with 100% employees reporting for work should ensure compliance with SOPs issued in this regard. They should encourage their employees to get vaccinated as per norms. The government said it would increase the number of COVID Care Centres in the districts and set up Mobile Sample Collection Centres for undertaking RT-PCR tests. It appealed to the public to strictly comply with the COVID-19 safety guidelines.
Ensuring COVID-19-appropriate behaviour, like wearing face masks, washing hands with soap at regular intervals and maintaining physical distance, was part of the solution, it said.
