‘TN ready to combat Covid surge’

The Tamil Nadu health department is readying itself for any surge in Covid-19 cases after the new variant, Omicron BF.7 was detected in the country.There is a surge in Covid cases in China and Japan and more than 480 people have died in China due to this new variant. More than one lakh people are detected positive in that country and after the variant was detected in India, the Government of India sent guidelines to the states.The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin in a high-level meeting of bureaucrats said that the state should be prepared for any eventuality even though the possibility of a surge like during the presence of the Delta variant was less. Tamil Nadu has inoculated 97 per cent of its population with the first dose of vaccine and 92 per cent with the second dose of vaccine and hence the immunity in society is high.However, the state health department has directed people to wear masks and to ensure safe distancing with the festive season of Christmas and New Year celebrations on the anvil.