N Chennai gets spl focus in vax drive

N Chennai gets spl focus in vax drive

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.05.2021 

Greater Chennai Corporation has come up with a new strategy to control spread of Covid-19 in north Chennai. Though the region had a high number of cases during the first wave, infections were once again on the rise during the past few weeks, particularly in areas such as Tondiarpet, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, Royapuram, Manali and Madhavaram. Officials noticed that a possible reason could be due to low vaccination figures in the areas.

“We have now asked zonal teams to hold more camps in the areas. On Wednesday, 66 vaccination camps were held in the city north. Tondiarpet alone had 30 camps and 486 people were vaccinated,” said Alby John, GCC deputy commissioner, health.

Active cases in the zones saw a dip on Wednesday. Zones such as Thiruvotiyur and Manali that had 1,846 and 982 active cases on May 17 saw a slight drop of infections on Wednesday and had 1,821 and 938 infections. Cases fell in Royapuram from 2,411 on Tuesday to 2,376 on Wednesday, and by 88 to 3,854 in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.

Population density, more slum settlements and lack of awareness were seen as major challenges in dealing with infections in the north. “Vaccination is the only way to break the transmission chain here,” said an official.

“Unlike in other zones, residential welfare associations in northern region were not very active. We roped in “Strengthening fever surveillance, adding more focus volunteers to ensure those in home quarantine do not step out, ensuring proper assistance and follow up on tests, distribution of medicine kits to symptomatic patients and tele counselling at zonal level, along with vaccination camps, have helped reduce the rate of transmission,” said the corporation commissioner, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, adding that efforts will be scaled up in the coming days.