The daily Covid cases in Tamil Nadu on Thursday declined to 575, which was lower than the second wave’s low of 597 cases reported on December 24, 2021.

There were four deaths registered and 65,988 samples tested.

After 1,913 Covid patients were discharged, the number of active cases stood at 9,440.

Chennai and Coimbatore reported 144 and 81 cases respectively.

On Thursday, 1,64,363 persons were vaccinated, says a health department data.

Meanwhile, the Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine has instructed all Deputy Director and Health Services and City Medical Officer through Joint Commissioner of Greater Chennai Corporation that regular review has to be carried out on the status of Covid vaccines available with private centres to know about the shorter expiry of vaccines either in person or entry in the Co-WIN portal.

Exchange of vials

The Centre has informed that the Health Ministry has no objection for the States/UTs to consider exchange of near expiry vaccine vials of private vaccine centres with long expiry vaccine vials available with government vaccine centres after due diligence.

The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday asked the States/UTs to ensure that no vial of Covid vaccine either in government vaccine centres or private centre should be wasted. The provision of entry of these exchanged vaccines is available in Co-WIN.