Schools instructed to follow mask rules as Covid cases spike

CHENNAI: Even as the Covid cases in the city are increasing, the Greater Chennai Corporation has instructed schools and colleges in the city to ensure that the students wear face masks.

"On Wednesday, the health minister instructed the civic body to take safety measures to contain the spread of Covid. Based on this, communications have been sent to educational institutions to make the students wear face masks, " a Chennai Corporation press release said.

Meanwhile, the civic body formed eight mobile RT-PCR teams - two teams for each of Anna Nagar, Teynampet, Kodambakkam and Adyar zones - where the number of cases are higher. The teams will collect samples from the residents if they contact 1913 number.

The civic body also instructed the private labs and private hospitals to share the details of persons and RT-PCR results. Details of persons coming with symptoms should be shared with the civic body through e-mail.

It may be noted that the civic body has covered 99.72 per cent of the population with first dose of vaccine and 85.51 per cent residents took the second doses.