TN Govt Doctors' Association urge CM Stalin to shut schools and colleges, warn of rapid Omicron spread

The Tamil Nadu Government Doctors' Association has requested Chief Minister MK Stalin to shift school and college to online mode. In a representation to the Chief Minister, the association's president Dr K Senthil said that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads four times faster than the earlier Delta variant.

He said that school and college students attending on-campus classes can act as "super-spreaders" and virtual classes are the need of the hour. The doctors' body said that this was the right time to bring in restrictions as it would be too late otherwise. 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 welcomed the centre's decision to provide booster doses to senior citizens, health care professionals, as well as children in the age group of 15 to 18.

READ ALSO : COVID-19: 77 of 200 Omicron victims in India have recovered, says Health Ministry

Dr K Senthil called upon the government to stockpile all the essential medical infrastructure necessary to handle emergency situations; including Oxygen cylinders, PPE kits for healthcare professionals and medicines.