Increase in vaccination reduced COVID-19 fatalities in TN: Health Minister

Thanjavur: There has been no COVID-19 deaths in Tamil Nadu due to increase in vaccination and this has been a consolation amid rising cases, state Minister Ma Subramanian said on Sunday. After inspecting the mega vaccination camp here, which is being held across Tamil Nadu, the Minister for Health and Family Welfare said there was no necessity to impose any lockdown as only five per cent of coronavirus-affected patients were under treatment in both public and private health care facilities.

"As per the Centre's COVID-19 guidelines, if there has been more than 40 per cent of occupancy in hospitals due to coronavirus then there is a possibility to impose restrictions. Currently, only five per cent of them are under treatment and in such a condition (to impose lockdown) it does not arise," Subramanian told reporters here.

According to him, Tamil Nadu has vaccinated 94.68 per cent of people with the first dose and 85.47 per cent double dose.

"Nearly 95 per cent of COVID-19 patients are under home quarantine while five per cent of them are in treatment in government and private health care facilities," he said.

"Currently, 21,513 people are under treatment in Tamil Nadu. The consolation news is that there has been no death due to COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu because of increase in vaccination," he said.

As many as 11.43 crore doses have been administered to people till date, he said.

Vaccination exercise commenced in Tamil Nadu on January 16, 2021 under the previous AIADMK rule.

Subramanian noted that despite increased prevalence of Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5, there was no major impact out of it across the country.

Referring to the recent emergence of cholera in Karaikal district in Puducherry, he said due to preventive mechanism taken by the health department in those districts bordering the Union Territory, the spread of disease was contained.