CHENNAI: Homeless people are vulnerable to COVID-19 and the state should vaccinate them on priority to contain the spread of the virus, observed the Madras High Court on Wednesday.
The court was hearing a plea moved by a petitioner M Muruganantha urging it to direct the authorities to ensure that the homeless and less privileged, like pavement dwellers without any identification cards, are protected against the virus by vaccination.
During the hearing on Wednesday, the state government's counsel P Muthukumar submitted that the state has initiated a programme to ensure that all such vulnerable persons are vaccinated as expeditiously as possible.
The first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy concurred with the submission moved by the state.
The bench in its order said, "...all Corporations, Municipalities and Town Panchayats should be sensitized by the department to ensure that these vulnerable persons be regarded as candidates for immediate urgent vaccination since they stand more exposed than other citizens to contract the virus."