Like flying squads for elections, the Health Department is taking measures to form flying squads to impose fines on persons who do not wear masks, Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan said on Thursday.
With fresh COVID-19 infections gradually rising across the State, the department is all set to intensify collection of fines from those who violate safety norms. Persons who do not wear masks or keep their masks in pockets in any place where more than 20 persons are gathered will be fined. “People attending marriages, funerals, birthday parties and programmes at home should wear masks. All these norms will apply to election meetings and wearing of masks are must,” he said.
Mr. Radhakrishnan said the State had intensified COVID-19 prevention efforts. On Wednesday, Maharashtra recorded 13,000 cases, while Punjab recorded 1,300 cases. Though cases were gradually decreasing in the neighbouring State of Kerala, the numbers were still around 2,400, he said.
“Nearly two weeks ago, we said that though cases stayed below the 500-mark in Tamil Nadu, we were worried that the infections did not reduce and that people were not wearing masks. We thought that the figures will increase, and now, they are. Chennai, which was recording 150 cases, has now started to report over 275 cases. The cases have started to inch closer to the 700-mark,” he told reporters after conducting an inspection at the Central railway station. He said the increase was a warning signal.
“We have adequate beds, oxygen supply and medicines. Why should we allow cases to rise and then control? People should understand that we were able to control the disease only with their cooperation. The situation will not be the same as last year as we have medicines and vaccines,” he said.
Noting that mask adherence was nil in railway stations, the Health Secretary said they held a meeting with officials and the railway police on how to enforce compliance. “People are taking it very casually. So, we want to intensify measures at the Tambaram, Central and Egmore railway stations. Temperature checks will be mandatory,” he said.
Causes for concern
He said there were a few problematic areas, such as Teynampet and Kodambakkam, and many cases were mainly reported in housing societies and family events, including marriages.
In marriages, the complaint was not only lack of mask wearing but also exceeding the capacity of the marriage hall, he said, adding: “They can have 50% capacity or 600 persons. But there are 2,000 guests and there is no compliance with masks.”
He said some persons, on getting tested for COVID-19 in private laboratories, were not revealing their positive report until the Greater Chennai Corporation identifies them. Similarly, some of them were approaching private hospitals and getting the nod for home isolation. Government hospitals had adequate facilities to treat patients with COVID-19, he said.
The Health Secretary said that Standard Operating Procedures were not being followed properly in certain places. For instance, sanitation was not being followed, he said, adding that action would be taken on officers if such violations were found.
The hotels’ association has come forward to get all persons aged above 45 years vaccinated. Similarly, staff of marriage halls could also get vaccinated. Of the 36 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccines, Tamil Nadu had utilised only 11 lakh doses, he added.
