Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam directed the officials to strictly enforce the intensified lockdown for 12 days that begins from June 19 to June 30, by restricting the movement of people within and outside to reduce the spread of Covid-19. He has directed the Chennai Corporation Commissioner and Changalpat, Kanchipuram and Tiruvalluvar district collectors, to follow the restrictions of Covid-19.

The Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam in his letter said that the administration should focus on issue like strengthening the surveillance and survey of the containment area / quarantine houses and organizing fever camps in areas outside the containment area for the early detection and testing of those suspected to have Covid-19. He also said the focus should also be on streamlined testing, patient management, effective contact tracing, and quarantine and containment area management. And also said ensuring the smooth supply of essentials in the quarantine houses and in the containment area to make the lockdown a success.

He also urged the above said officials to mount publicity campaigns to create awareness among the public for ensuring better discipline on social distancing and wearing masks. Public should be made aware that use of masks is compulsory and violation is punishable with a fine.

The following are the key directions given for the intensified lockdown

• Borders of Chennai city police limits should be fortified with multilayer checking.
• Internal movement should be controlled by putting up barricades in critical locations.
• Strict perimeter control of containment area, quarantine houses and houses of isolated patients in home treatment through security, CCTV and community vigilance.
• Coordinate smooth supply of essential commodities.
• NGOs, volunteers in large numbers can be used for giving publicity to improve compliance and willingness to come forward for testing and treatment.
• Active surveillance and survey in containment area and quarantine houses to identify persons with COVID symptoms for early testing.
• Intensive coverage of fever clinics in areas other than containment zones to detect Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) cases.
• Streamline testing procedure without any waiting time and put in place as many testing units as possible for quick sample collection.
• Ensure quarantine of persons coming for testing with symptoms, until the test results are obtained to reduce further spread.
• Ensure 100 percent identification of all home contacts and other contacts and quarantine them within 24 hours.
• Geofencing of quarantine contacts to prevent any violation and strict action against violators.
• Ensure psychological counseling to patients in need.
• Strictly enforce restriction in movement through CCTV cameras, community vigilance etc.
• Keep a close watch on the health of aged and comorbid cases.
• Better coordination for allotment of beds in private hospitals.