The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday issued directions to all Secretaries of departments at the State Secretariat to purchase pulse oximeters and thermal scanners to check oxygen levels and temperature of employees on a daily basis.
The direction was issued by Public Department Principal Secretary, P. Senthilkumar, after nearly 200 staffers have tested positive for COVID-19 in the recent days. The Tamil Nadu Secretariat Association had, in a letter to the CM on October 8, requested that only 50% staffing be done and those with various health conditions be exempted from reporting to work.
The directions mandate Under Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries of departments to be in charge of procurement of pulse oximeters to check oxygen levels and thermal scanners to check and record temperature of employees when reporting to work on a daily basis. “Any official with symptoms like fever, cold, cough, or decreasing O2 saturation should be subjected to testing and further medical examination,” the directive said.
