Shift vaccine centres to avoid crowding, says Madras HC – Mint

Chennai News

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Wednesday suggested to the Tamil Nadu government to relocate Covid-19 vaccination centres from hospitals elsewhere in order to prevent crowding. The state government also submitted a status report on various aspects including availability of beds, oxygen and vaccine stocks.

The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, said that “to reduce the fear, stress and crowding among the people, we are asking to shift the vaccination centers from the hospital and set up at other places of public convenience.” The court was hearing a case taken up on its own on issues, including shortage of beds and ventillators, besides diversion of oxygen. In its status report submitted before the court, the government said it has received 2.05 lakh vials of Remdesivir from the Cente “as against the pending orders of 3.5 lakh.”

Further, over 43,000 beds were available across the state and the government has taken up creation of an additional 12,500 of them with oxygen supply.

Additional Solicitor General R Sankaranarayanan submitted that the Centre has increased the oxygen allocation to Tamil Nadu from 419 tonnes a day to 519 tonnes a day but the bench pointed out that the demand could soon touch 800 mt in the backdrop of sharp increase in covid cases. The ASG also said the DRDO oxygen facility set up in New Delhi was done based on a state government request. The court had earlier made a suggestion in this connection.

Meanwhile, an advocate moved the court with a plea to quash the government order providing 2000 as financial aid to all during the pandemic period.

The assistance should not be provided to state government, central government and other pensioners, he contended.

Admitting the plea, the bench ordered notice to the state government.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/shift-vaccine-centres-to-avoid-crowding-says-madras-hc-11620832817706.html