The Chennai Corporation Commissioner G Prakash on Monday listed measures taken by the civic body to protect the vulnerable population as COVID-19 numbers rise in the city. Amongst the steps taken, is the removal of elderly persons and people with co-morbidities from areas with a large number of cases and shifting them to quarantine centres temporarily to avoid infection.
On Monday, for the second consecutive day, Tamil Nadu recorded over 1000 cases, taking the state's total to 23,495. A total of 11 deaths were recorded and 10,964 tests were done. Several services have reopened in the city with guidelines for protection and physical distancing. The Chennai Corporation has further stated that they won't hesitate to close shops that don't follow these instructions.
"Since we are going door to door, the number of cases is high. There are a high number of positive cases now but it will reach a peak and then come under control, is what public health strategists are saying. Tondiarpet and Royapuram alone had about 200 cases yesterday and today. This is because the slum population and density in these areas is high," said Corporation Commissioner G Prakash.
He further outlined the interventions that have been planned by the Corporation.
"We have created several quarantine centres in the city. Corporation schools, government schools and community halls have been kept ready with basic facilities like beds and toilets. In areas where the case load is heavy, we will shift vulnerable people from there," he said.
“We want to do this because the infection affects old people and those with co-morbidities. So, wherever there are cases like this, we shift vulnerable people temporarily and give them nutritious food, vitamins, keep them for 1 week to 10 days and then send them back. This is to break the chain of the disease," he explained.
The Corporation is also working towards large scale cluster containment.
"Streets with heavy case loads are identified and there will be outer perimeter control introduced. The outer boundary will be tightened and vulnerable people inside will be brought to quarantine centres as a strict measure," he said. "This is to stop the spread of infection," he added.
He further stated that these activities have already begun in a number of wards and that these are scientific measures to control the spread of the virus.