District COVID-19 Monitoring officer Gagandeep Singh Bedi has appealed to the people to stringently adhere to the COVID-19 protocol, like compulsory wearing of masks and maintaining physical distancing on a war-footing, to break the chain of transmission in Cuddalore.
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Addressing media persons after a review meeting in Cuddalore on Thursday, he said that several States including Tamil Nadu were witnessing a rise in the number of positive cases.
Mr. Bedi said that there was a lapse in mask wearing. The district administration and the police department should slap fines to ensure everybody wears a mask. About 9.1 % of people aged above 45 years have been vaccinated in Cuddalore district so far. The Health Department should also improve the percentage cover of vaccinated beneficiaries since 90 % of people aged above 45 years in the district were yet to be vaccinated, he said.
Mr. Bedi urged people aged above 45 years to come forward and get themselves vaccinated at the nearest primary health centres, government hospitals and special camps of the health department in the next 10-15 days.
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Mr. Bedi also directed the district administration to adopt a scientific method of testing through fever camps. Contact tracing of all those who might have been affected is highly-needed to break the chain, he said.
Around 3,000 beds have been kept ready in government hospitals and other hospitals and the bed strength could be increased to 8,000 to 10,000 based on the demand, he said. There is also adequate stock of medicines, testing kits and oxygen facilities at hospitals for treating COVID-19 patients, he added.
Collector Chandra Sekhar Sakhamuri and Superintendent of Police M. Sree Abhinav were present.