Tamil Nadu has inoculated 16,43,879 people in the second mega vaccination camp exceeding the targeted number of 15 lakh above the age of 18, the Department of Health said on Sunday. The first camp was held on September 12 and 28.91 lakh people got the vaccine against the targeted 20 lakh, the department said in a press release. "On September 19, Sunday, the second camp was held from 7 am to 7 pm and 16,43,879 (16.43 lakh) people were administered the vaccine," the release said. The camp would not be held on Monday as the vaccines have run out of stock, said the release.
Talking to reporters, state Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian said Coimbatore district topped the state in vaccinating the highest percentage of the eligible population against COVID-19. Addressing reporters after inaugurating the second mega vaccination camp at Pollachi, he said that of the 29,27,149 population aged above 18 in the district, 75% had received their first dose while 25% received both doses. The minister also said that the Coimbatore administration had done well to check the number of COVID-19 cases in the district but the presence of 13 inter-state check posts with Kerala is a matter of concern for the state.
He said that the relentless effort of the Tamil Nadu Health Department and the stringent preventive measures taken by the government in setting up check posts in the border areas with Kerala ensured that Nipah and Zika virus could not enter the state. Noting that even after precautions and strict measures, Kerala was reporting more than 20,000 cases a day, he said that visitors from Kerala have to show the RT-PCR negative certificate at the check posts and those without the certificate are sent back.
On the request of Chief Minister MK Stalin, 19 lakh vaccines were sent in July in addition to the monthly allotment of 52 lakh, the Health Minister said. On students testing COVID-19 positive over the last few days after re-opening of schools from this month, he said 83 students were infected and their contacts being monitored. Earlier on Sunday, the Minister inspected the vaccination camps in Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Namakkal, Salem and Dharmapuri.
"For August, 33 lakh doses were sent in addition to the allotted 53 lakh. For September, the Union government announced 1.04 crore doses will be allotted. Till date, we have vaccinated one crore. Another 10 days to go for this month. We hope the Union government will send additional doses," he said.