Chennai, Jul 3 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu Public Health Department has planned a massive outreach programme involving volunteers, NGOs and other social organisations going door to door for pitch for Covid awareness and the necessity to wear masks, safe distancing, use of sanitisers, and vaccination.
The department formulated the new plan following reports of a slight increase in the number of active cases in 15 districts on Thursday. It has, according to sources, already approached NGOs and other social organisations including doctors bodies to help in the outreach programme.
According to a pilot study report of the Department, around 36,000 volunteers would be required for a door to door campaign and missives have already been sent to corporates and other companies to support the initiative through their CSR initiatives.
The Greater Chennai Corporation had, in the early days of the second wave, roped in several Tamil movie and television actors to create awareness videos and according to senior officials, it was a big hit with people sharing the awareness videos in large numbers.
The Public Health Department is planning such an initiative and roping in stars to create awareness on basic matters like wearing of masks, safe distancing, sanitising, and vaccinations through short videos.
Several Tamil film stars have already uploaded their videos calling upon the public to stay safe and not to venture out unless necessary.
Tamil Nadu Association of Small and Medium Industries Secretary, U. Mathivannan told IANS that the government must immediately step up the campaign as in villages and in small towns, people are not caring much and after the first dose of vaccination, the level of confidence has increased. "This will lead to disaster and unless government is strict on control measures, we may not find the graph coming down. For the industry to pick up, the disease must be banished from the country."
State Health Secretary, J. Radhakrishnan told IANS that they were "taking certain measures so that there is no rise in Covid positive cases and we hope to contain this pandemic".