TN minister urges public to take COVID-19 vaccines at Sept 12 mega drive

Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian has appealed to the people of his state to make maximum use of the mega vaccination drive to be carried out at 10,000 centres across the southern state on Sunday against Covid-19. In a statement on Thursday, the minister said that the state government is planning to inoculate 20 lakh people in a single day on September 12 and 40,000 booths have already been arranged in 10,000 centres.

Booths have been established at Primary Health Centres(PHCs), government hospitals, integrated child development scheme centres, noon-meal centres and schools. The booths, according to the statement from the health minister’s office would function from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The mega vaccination drive will be conducted by maintaining strict Covid-19 protocols, including social distancing, wearing of masks, hand sanitisation and other Covid-19 standard protocols issued by the Government of India.

The statement also said that those with cough, running nose, fever and other Covid-19 related symptoms would not be given permission to enter the booths. Beneficiaries will be allowed to be accompanied by only one person in the booth and those who take the jab will have to produce an identity card issued by the Government of India.

The Minister in the statement said that after much pursuance the state could muster the required quantity of vaccines for the mega vaccination camp from the Centre.

The statement said that various departments, including ICDS, revenue, local bodies, education, UNICEF, WHO, Rotary International and other NGOs were supporting the programme.

Ma Subramanian told IANS: “The state health department is conducting this mega vaccination camp in a bid to ensure that all from eligible group in Tamil Nadu must have at least the first dose completed by this year-end. People must make maximum use of this opportunity and get inoculated themselves as the government is providing centres at every locality.”