[ad_1]
The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Centre to file a detailed report by Monday, indicating the preparations it had made to address exigencies that may arise in the future and the plan in place to allocate COVID-19 vaccines and drugs for the future use of the States and Union Territories. Though the situation appeared to be better in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the court insisted on not letting the guard down.
Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy directed Additional Solicitor General R. Sankaranarayanan to ensure that a centralised plan of action was placed before the court by Monday.
The court also impressed on the need to augment the supply of oxygen both to Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, and said the silver lining was the proposed oxygen production at Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).
Though Advocate General R. Shunmugasundaram brought it to the notice of the court that the State had begun vaccinating those in the 18 to 44 years age group from Thursday, the judges said the State did not appear to be in possession of sufficient doses of vaccine. They referred to suggestions made by a few lawyers, across the Bar, regarding the use of the single dose version of the Russian-made Sputnik vaccine.
They pointed out that a few lawyers had highlighted that the two domestic vaccines being administered now had an efficacy of only eight months, after which they would have to be administered again. “There has to be some clarity in this regard, particularly by the Centre on the basis of any scientific study that may have been conducted, as to when those already vaccinated would require another round of vaccination,” the Bench wrote.
The court also said every endeavour must be made to issue the COVID-19 test results as soon as possible to the individuals concerned so that the asymptomatic patients do not end up being super spreaders between the day when they give swab samples for testing and the day when the results come out. The court took note of complaints that some of the test results were announced after several days.
The first Division Bench also directed the State government to instruct the civic bodies to come down heavily on those who demand exorbitant amounts of money to cremate or bury bodies of COVID-19 patients. “Several reports of unlawful demands in crematoria must be immediately addressed. The State government should instruct the local authorities to ensure that there is an element of dignity when the last rites of any person are performed,” it ordered.
The court also ordered that a cleanliness drive must be undertaken all over the State.
[ad_2]
Source link
