Tamil Nadu: Separate Vaccination Counters To Be Set Up In Chennai For Specially- Abled

To facilitate the vaccination for specially-abled persons, now separate counters will be set up for them at COVID-19 vaccination centres in Chennai.

A notification from the Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine to all deputy directors of the health services and the Chennai City medical officers at the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has been issued on May 16, Sunday, reported The NewsMinute.

The notification is also attached with a set of instructions for the vaccination of specially-abled people who are coming to the centres that fall under GCC limits.

According to the notification released, if it is not possible to set up a separate counter, there are specific instructions given which must be forwarded to the vaccination centre to provide first priority to people with disabilities.

This arrangement is made to be visible at every centre so that they do not have to wait for COVID-19 vaccination in the general queue. By setting up such counters at COVID-19 vaccination centres with ramps, slopes, etc. and other required facilities, there will be an easier movement for the specially-abled.

The Tamil Nadu government on Sunday announced that it would be streamlining the sale of Remdesivir, and it has made plans of launching a web portal to take requests for the drug directly from private hospitals. This drug can only be given to COVID-19 patients on oxygen support.

For conducting a mass vaccination drive, the state has also floated tenders to procure 3.5 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines so that it could also vaccinate those that fall in the 18 to 44 age group.

Till May 14, the state has vaccinated only 68,78,742 persons. As per the country's state-wise vaccination statistics, Tamil Nadu has covered only 14% of its population above the age of 45.