Weekend curbs have broken the spread of COVID-19: Health Secretary

The complete lockdown on Sunday has broken the spread of COVID-19, Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan mentioned on Tuesday after inspecting the Communicable Diseases Hospital at Tondiarpet.

“As far as COVID-19 is concerned, due to the lockdown on Sunday, there is a break. This is a good signal. If we continue to wear masks and do not go to public places unnecessarily, we will soon be able to prevent the spread of the contagion,” he advised reporters. With the instances falling in the final two days, “we can plateau or reduce” the quantity of infections, if individuals cooperated.

Dr. Radhakrishnan urged individuals to not come out of their properties over the subsequent few days and observe the restrictions. At many retailers, air-conditioners have been switched off. “In Tamil Nadu, we should be careful. We do not have such a high number of infections as in neighbouring States, but people should be careful because 30% of those diagnosed require hospitalisation,” he mentioned.

He mentioned many individuals went on to hospitals however the authorities adopted the pointers issued by the World Health Organization to triage sufferers. The process concerned figuring out individuals with signs and testing them. The Chennai Corporation had organized for autos to move individuals for testing. “The benefit is that when people get X-ray and blood profile done at one of the 12 screening centres in the city, they are segregated according to the severity of their condition. Please make full use of the screening centres,” he mentioned.

At a operate organised by the Rotary Club of Madras at the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality on the Omandurar Government Estate to donate autos and gear to retailer and transport vaccines, Dr. Radhakrishnan mentioned the State had taken the “revolutionary” choice to promote Remdesivir on to sufferers to forestall its sale on the black market from Gujarat to hospitals in the metropolis. The drug is run to sufferers who’re on oxygen help.

On complaints that there was a scarcity of the drug, Dr. Radhakrishnan mentioned it was offered solely the foundation of some paperwork issued by hospitals and the affected person’s household. Furthermore, the Union authorities had given the State 59,000 doses for the interval from April 21 to 30. The State had additionally written to the Centre, looking for extra doses. Since it was a dynamic state of affairs, the Health Department was continually monitoring the state of affairs and would take motion not solely to handle the crowd but additionally to offer the medication seamlessly.

On the choice to manage the vaccine free of value to these aged above 45, he mentioned the Union authorities had not laid out the particulars. However, the vaccine could be administered free at authorities hospitals.

IMA’s enchantment

The Indian Medical Association’s Tamil Nadu State Branch has thanked the authorities for alleviating the procurement of Remdesivir. It has appealed for quick preparations for the sale of the drug in Tiruchi, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Salem, Hosur, Nagercoil, Vellore and Dindigul.