CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government kicked off vaccination for the 15-18 age group even as Covid-19 cases rose across the State on Monday. Till 6.35 pm, the State vaccinated 3,25,288 in the age group. Tiruvanamalai district vaccinated 22.30 per cent of the eligible population, the highest in the State. However, in Chennai, only 1.44 per cent received the jab, the lowest among all districts, Health Department data showed.
Launching the drive at the Girls Higher Secondary School in Saidapet, Chief Minister MK Stalin urged people to be cautious and follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, as there is a danger of cases increasing. He added that face masks are important to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and rued that the number of cases began to rise as the State’s economy began to improve.
“Doctors say Omicron is less severe which gives us relief, but they also warn about its high transmissibility. Vaccines available in our country offer good protection against the variant, as its severity decreases in the vaccinated. Doctors say mortality rate is also low when people are fully vaccinated. So everyone should take the life-saving vaccines,” he said.
The Chief Minister also said in the US, around five lakh people are infected daily, and the spread of disease is threatening even developed countries in Europe. In India, though cases are less when compared to those countries, the number is slowly increasing now, even in neighbouring State Kerala, Stalin said.
The Chief Minister also warned that transmission is high in States like Maharashtra, and with cases increasing in Tamil Nadu, people who are not vaccinated must get vaccinated. He specially requested those above 60, who had not received two doses of vaccine, to get jabbed.
“This is my humble request. I request you to consider me as one among you. Not as Chief Minister, but I request you as one of the members of your family. Let’s take vaccines with an oath that we’ll prevent the spread of the new variant,” Stalin said.
He also appealed to people to fully cooperate with the government in fighting the pandemic. He said people should help Tamil Nadu become the first State to report nil cases of Covid-19. Only with people’s cooperation can this be achieved and it is not possible for the government alone to achieve this feat, Stalin said.
Case Watch