Tamil Nadu prepared for Covid-19 third wave: Health Secretary

Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Dr. J Radhakrishnan said that the state is well prepared to tackle a third wave of the pandemic. The top government official said the state will be able to manage the crisis by strengthening the existing medical care facilities and storing essential medical grade oxygen, which it lacked during the second wave.

Chennai: Tamil Nadu State Health secretary Dr. J Radhakrishnan said that the state is well prepared to tackle a third wave of the pandemic. The top government official said the state will be able to manage the crisis by strengthening the existing medical care facilities and storing essential medical grade oxygen, which it lacked during the second wave.

Dr. Radhakrishnan clarified that the mortality rate was high in the state due to the overall increase of caseload, aggravated by the rapid spread of infection. He downplayed the calls for auditing the deaths in the state and said Tamil Nadu has "a robust data collection mechanism." Dr. Radhakrishnan also urged the citizens to get vaccinated regardless of the vaccine. He also brushed aside the fear of Covaxin not approved by the FDA in the US for emergency authorisation among other countries by saying he himself has taken the indigenous vaccine.