With Kerala alone reporting over 30,000 COVID-19 cases a day, Tamil Nadu has intensified monitoring along the inter-State borders. Only travellers with RT-PCR negative test results and certificates for full vaccination are allowed into the State, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian said on Tuesday.
“We have intensified monitoring in all border areas... On Sunday, I inspected a special camp set up at Hosur to check vehicles coming to Tamil Nadu. Vehicles plying from Kerala are being stopped and people are asked to produce proof of the RT-PCR negative status or vaccination certificates. Only those carrying these documents are being allowed entry and others are sent back,” he told reporters after opening a ward at ESI Hospital, Ayanavaram. He said that as the caseload was not so high in Karnataka, travellers from there were allowed entry after thermal screening and checking of oxygen saturation level.
From two to three lakh persons a day, the State’s daily vaccination coverage has crossed five lakh, he said. “The Collectors have been advised to further increase it. Like daily vaccination camps in all 200 wards of the Greater Chennai Corporation, the Corporations of Madurai, Coimbatore and Tiruchi have been told to conduct additional camps.”
With the Union government allocating 1.04 crore doses to Tamil Nadu for September, the daily target would be increased to seven to eight lakh, the Minister said. In July, the Union government had allocated 17 lakh additional doses because of the State’s good performance. Similarly, 23 lakh additional doses were supplied for August, he said, adding: “The Union government had fixed a target of 52 lakh doses for June, 55 lakh for July and 57 lakh for August. Now, the number of doses is being doubled as the Union government has informed that 1.04 crore doses will be supplied. We are planning to vaccinate six to seven lakh persons a day in September.”
He said there had been a shortage of Covaxin till August. Of the 1.04 crore doses allotted for September, Covaxin would account for 14,74,100 doses. They would be administered to persons due for their second dose.
He inaugurated a 75-bed paediatric COVID-19 intensive care unit at ESI Hospital. The Rotary Club sponsored medical equipment.
