CHENNAI: There was no need for new restrictions or lockdown; only 5 per cent of COVID patients were admitted to hospitals in Tamil Nadu, said Health Minister Ma Subramanian amid increasing cases in the State.
The health minister, along with health department officials, inspected a Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Chengalpattu on Monday. Speaking to reporters after inspecting the PHC, the minister said, as per the guidelines from the union government, restrictions should be enforced only if 40 per cent of beds were occupied in hospitals, Subramanian added.
The Chief Minister has said there was no need for new restrictions or lockdowns because of the economic impact of the pandemic. There is no lockdown anywhere, Subramanian added.
Subramanian said that the health department was taking preventive measures in Chennai, Chengalpattu and Coimbatore, where cases are relatively more. Chengalpattu has the maximum cases after Chennai. There are 2,269 active cases in Chengalpattu district and the majority of them are in home isolation.
In Chengalpattu, the first dose vaccination coverage is 90.5 per cent and the second dose coverage is 74.73 per cent. The State is nearing 95 per cent in first-dose coverage and 85.37 per cent in second-dose.