Chennai, Dec 27 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu Government Doctors' Association has requested Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to shift school and college classes purely to online mode.

In a representation to the chief minister, the association's president Dr K. Senthil said that Omicron variant of the Covid-19 is a super spreader and spreads four times faster than the earlier Delta variants.

He said that school and college students attending classes physically would act as super spreaders and to prevent that, classes be shifted to online mode. The doctors' body said that this was the right time to bring in restrictions as the variant spreads fast and if not acted now, it would be late and the spread would leave a large number of people affected by the disease.

The association also said that the health infrastructure at the present level may not be able to handle the heavy spread of disease if a super spread happens and called upon the government to prevent that.

In the representation, the doctors body said that safe distancing, wearing of masks and usage of sanitisers and frequent washing of hands with soap has to be continuously practiced and no lethargy be shown in any of these.

The association also requested the Chief Minister to prevent all forms of gatherings, including marriage functions, religious celebrations, and attendance in death mourning and funerals to prevent the spread.

It also welcomed the decision to provide booster doses or preventive doses to senior citizens, health care professionals, and Covid -19 front line warriors as well as children in the age group of 15-18 years.

Dr K. Senthil also called upon the government to stockpile all the essential medical infrastructure necessary to handle emergency situations including Oxygen cylinders, PPE kits for health care professionals and medicines for acting in tough situations.