Health officials step up efforts to bring down coronavirus cases in Tamil Nadu

With the heat and dust raised by the election rallies and poll day fever settling down, the Tamil Nadu Health department and civic officials have stepped up efforts to detect Covid cases with renewed vigour while sensitising people to opt for vaccination without fail.

Health workers recommenced door-knocks to thermal scan the residents in addition to ascertaining if the people have taken the shots. "We need some protection from the virus. So, vaccination is the best option now. Take the shots at the nearest health centre if you have not done so far," Naresh, a health worker, said.

Like him, several health workers in the metropolis are busy visiting the people and requesting them to get vaccinated at the earliest.

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Meanwhile, a senior Health official said face mask compliance and stricter personal discipline were vital to prevent the virus spread.

With the elections over on April 6, there would not be any large scale gathering of people as seen during the run-up to the polls. He, however, advised people to watch out for symptoms and seek medical advice immediately if needed.

According to Dr T S Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health (DPH) and Family Welfare, cooperation of the community is essential to contain the spread of the pandemic. "Health system approach is the need of the hour. Complacency on the part of the citizens will see rise in cases again. So, vaccination is the best available tool as of now," he told PTI.

As to the challenges the department has been facing for over a year, he said it "is keeping the team motivated for a year-long battle. "We need to move on till a certain level of the susceptible population develops immunity," he said.

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According to a well-known laparoscopic surgeon and founder of Lifeline Group of hospitals, Dr J S Rajkumar, patients all over the country want a vaccine that is hundred per cent safe, and a hundred per cent protective against the virus.

India's vaccination production and distribution have catapulted it to a very high rank in terms of perception, all over the world, he said while stressing on the need for people to get inoculated.

India's great advantage was the hundred-plus day lockdown which shifted the curve of Covid-19 patients to the right, permitting the available logistics of healthcare to tackle the situation, he said.

Meanwhile, Chennai Corporation health workers and even the staff at the Amma mini-clinic, a pet initiative of Chief Minister K Palaniswami, appealed to the public to safeguard themselves through the vaccine shots.

After covering frontline workers, senior citizens and those above 45 years with comorbidities, the Centre has now extended the vaccination coverage to all above 45 years.

On Wednesday, Tamil Nadu logged 3,986 new coronavirus cases, pushing the caseload to 9,11,110