Tamil Nadu Begins Process To Make COVID-19 Vaccine Mandatory For Being In Public Places

The state government issued the circular at a time when the number of people taking the vaccine in the state have started to slow down.

People are crowded in a bazaar (Image for representation)

Chennai: The Directorate of Public Health (DPH) made COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for people in public places through a circular on Thursday. The DPH told the deputy director of health services to ensure that the owners and occupiers in public places have taken the COVID-19 vaccine. 

According to a report on The Hindu, the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine said in a circular to owners to ensure that only those vaccinated against COVID-19 occupy public places including markets, hotels, playgrounds, gyms, clubs, theatres and malls through the provisions given under Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939. 

The state government issued the circular at a time when the number of people taking the vaccine in the state have started to slow down. The total number of people inoculated with first and second dose currently stand at 6,45,782,433. 

The DPH also notified COVID-19 under Tamil Nadu Public Health Act and imposed certain regulations under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1987. As per the Act, the people or establishments who fail to abide by the rules can be evacuated, sealed, fined or booked cases against them.

Speaking about the circular, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said, the owners will start to verify if the people in public places have vaccine certificates. The Minister also said that taking vaccines is the responsibility of everyone and the government wants everyone to take the vaccines. 

The Minister said that he has instructed health officials to ensure that the people of the private sector have taken COVID-19 vaccination as many of the government employees have already been administered with the vaccine.