Replying to a special call attention motion moved by AIADMK MLA C. Vijayabaskar on the XE variant of the novel coronavirus, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian assured the Assembly on Tuesday that the Tamil Nadu government was prepared to tackle the variant, if it emerged in the State.
Mr. Vijayabaskar cited reports listing seven sub-variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 and suggesting that the spread of the XE variant might be expected in June. He pointed out that over 48 lakh people in the State had not taken their first dose of the vaccine and over 1.37 crore people had not taken their second dose. He also claimed vaccination had slowed down.
Mr. Subramanian replied that the steps that the State had taken helped to bring the number of cases down and there had been no death due to the contagion in the past one month. The Minister also recalled his recent meeting with N.K. Arora, chief of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, during which the XE variant was discussed.
Listing the steps taken by the State, Mr. Subramanian said the Chief Minister was set to inaugurate over 2,000 beds at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai, which were set up at a cost of ₹365 crore. The first vaccine dose was administered to 92.37% of the eligible population and the second dose was administered to 77.19%.
