Chennai: The one week total and complete full lockdown, sans any relaxations, to control the spread of the second wave of the coronavirus, came into force in Tamilnadu today.
As the cases surged past the 36,000-mark, the total lockdown was announced by Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday after holding discussions with medical and healthcare experts and with the all party legislature party leaders–an extension of the restrictions that began on 10 May and ended at 4 am today.
To enable the people stock the essentials like vegetables and groceries, the State government had permitted opening of shops till 9 pm on Saturday and Sunday, as people flocked the vegetable, fruits, flower, fish markets and meat stalls, besides retail textile and jewellery showrooms throwing the social distancing norms to the winds during the last two days, triggering fears of further spread of the pandemic.
Except for pharmacies, traditional medicine shops, veterinary clinics, milk, drinking water and newspaper distribution, the State is completely shut.