Lockdown is like speed breaker, only for people’s safety, says Chief Minister

Chennai

Palaniswami, who inspected the new coronavirus quarantine centre established at the Guru Nanak College here said that the state is taking all steps to increase the capacity to fight the coronavirus and 54 per cent of the infected people have recovered. The state is taking steps to create 17,500 new beds across the state, he noted.

A total of 30,271 COVID-19 patients have been cured and discharged from the hospitals. As on Friday, 54,449 persons were identified with the infection about 24,000 people are under treatment, he said.

Denying the charges of Opposition leader MK Stalin stating that the state is not doing enough, the Chief Minister said a greater number of tests are being taken up as part of prevention measures. Tamil Nadu accounts for the maximum number of tests in the country and so far, 8.27 lakh tests have been taken. On Thursday the state took 27,510 tests and there are 83 testing centres, Palaniswami said emphasising that he had directed the Chennai Corporation and the public health department to conduct more tests during this lockdown period.

When asked about the opposition parties blaming the state for the lockdown within lockdown as illogical, Palaniswami said that the objective of the lockdown is like a speed breaker to reduce the infection rate.

Asked when normalcy will be restored, the CM said there is no specific vaccine or drug that completely cures COVID-19. With the prescribed treatment and medicines available our doctors and health workers have cured thousands of patients.

“Only God knows when the spread of coronavirus will come down and the doctors are saying that the spread will come down step-by-step and the government is acting based on suggestions by health experts,” he said.