TIRUCHY: Gone are the days when residents were seen going around the city wearing masks. With Covid-19 positive cases coming down to zero on April 2, adherence to safety protocols in public places is being ignored. Though concerns are raised about people losing the fear of a new wave, senior officials said they are regularly collecting swab samples to assess the spread of the virus.
"We are still collecting about 1,000 swabs through 18 urban primary health centres in the city. Our team is regularly assessing the spread and there is no need for panic. We are also conducting vaccination of residents on a voluntary basis," a health officer said.
However, considering the slight increase in cases -- from 24 on Tuesday to 30 on Wednesday -- in Tamil Nadu, Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan directed all Collectors to ensure Covid-19 appropriate behaviour at public places. However, such alertness was not seen at any public place in the city even on Thursday.
Apart from announcements about the importance of wearing masks by police at some traffic junctions, no serious efforts were taken, a section of residents said.
"Most people are unsure whether masks are mandatory in public places or not. When officials themselves are not wearing masks, we cannot insist people to do so. Although the health secretary has confirmed that the directive on masks and safety precautions are still in effect, there is a need for wide publicity about it and its necessity," said B Vetriselvan, a senior citizen and resident of Thillai Nagar.
Meanwhile, health officials said they will consider the issues and take action.