CHENNAI: “The Tamil Nadu government is cautious about the new variant of Omicron XE but prepared to face any eventuality,” Health Minister Ma Subramanian said on Tuesday. He added that Chief Minister MK Stalin would inaugurate 2,096 intensive care beds, set up at a cost of `365 crore, across the State on Thursday.
A few days ago, Subramanian met Dr NK Arora, chairman of India’s Covid-19 Working Group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) and discussed the spread of Omicron variant XE. As per his advice, random checks are being conducted at all international airports. Dr Arora had said there was no need to panic about the new variant.
The minister recalled how in an unprecedented move, TN installed the latest equipment for whole-genome sequencing last September, which the government used to monitor Covid-19 variants. “Among those eligible, 92.37% have received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, while 77.19% have received the second. The State government has made vaccination a movement,” the minister said.
He added that there are seven variants of Omicron so far, and the infection has been found in 627 people in Britain. Though this infection is said to be highly transmissible, the number of people infected did not change there, Subramanian said.
AIADMK MLA C Vijaya Basker said there are reports that the Omicron XE variant has been spreading in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Reports say the Centre has warned five States that the new variant may spread rapidly in June. “About 48 lakh people in TN are yet to take the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, and despite reminders, 1.37 crore people have not taken their second dose,” Basker added.