The district’s Monitoring Officer S. J. Chiru reviewed the ongoing anti-COVID-19 operations with Collector G. S. Sameeran and Member of Parliament Dhanush M. Kumar here on Friday.
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The meeting resolved to intensify vaccination drive in the district.
Dr. Sameeran, while addressing the meeting, said performance of COVID-19 Unified Command Centre, oxygen position, treatment being given to the patients, vaccination drive etc. were reviewed by the Monitoring Officer. The modifications in anti-COVID-19 operations, if any, to be carried out in the functioning of officials as suggested by the Monitoring Officer, would be executed.
Since vaccination drive in rural areas had to improve, intensive awareness programmes would be conducted in villages. More importantly, workers being hired under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (MNREGP) would be vaccinated after creating awareness among them.
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Similar awareness events on vaccination would be conducted for the target group between 18 and 44 years of age.
“The prime objective behind organising vaccination awareness programmes is to bust the fallacies being shared on social media about vaccines. We have adequate stocks of oxygen and 4,000 doses of vaccines today and will increase the stocks based on demand. Though positivity rate of Tenkasi district is much lower than many other districts, vaccination should be expedited to shield more number of people against the viral infection,” Dr. Sameeran said.
The review meeting also discussed in detail about the measures to be taken to protect frontline COVID-19 warriors.
Mr. Dhanush M. Kumar said focus was being given to avoid wastage of vaccine by pooling in 20 or 40 persons at the vaccination centres.
On complaints pertaining to exorbitant COVID-19 treatment charges being collected by a few private hospitals, Dr. Sameeran said the district administration would discuss this issue with the private practitioners.
Superintendent of Police Suguna Singh, District Revenue Officer Janani Soundarya, MLAs E. Raja, T. Sadhan Thirumalaikumar, C. Krishnamurali, S. Palani Nadar and P.H. Paul Manoj Pandian and senior officials participated in the meeting.