In the midst of growing speculations on whether the complete lockdown will make a comeback to Tamil Nadu as the sequel of a surge in the COVID-19 cases, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan has on Wednesday negated the rumors about a second lockdown in the state and put out a strong appeal to the people and political leaders to wear masks and adhere to the guidelines to contain the spread in the state. 

Tamil Nadu has been in an election fervor as the state is three weeks ahead of the crucial assembly polls with all the political leaders have been touring the state for the election campaigns, which have been attracting thousands of people who were shockingly seen taking a break from the COVID-19 protocols. Amid bracing up almost a year-long lockdown in 2020, Tamil Nadu and India are witnessing the emergence of another wave of the global pandemic. 

For the past few days, Tamil Nadu has been reporting a sharp increase in fresh COVID-19 cases, pushing the government to deploy the measures and fresh guidelines to stop the second wave. The rise of the second wave had triggered the rise of speculations on whether Tamil Nadu will be implemented with a complete lockdown again. The people in the state have been surfaced with the speculations that the state will be imposed with the lockdown post assembly polls.

There are messages shared on social media that had supported the speculations. However, the health secretary has denied another round of lockdown. On Wednesday, Health Secretary Radhakrishnan had conducted the inspection in Rajiv Gandhi General Hospital following which he addressed the reporters. In his address, he said that the number of new cases has doubled in the last few days in Tamil Nadu.

In a castigating tone, he said, "One of the main reasons for this increase in cases is that the relaxation among people when it comes to taking precautions. The people think they are invincible and they don't get COVID-19 even if they don't wear masks. There is a feeling among the public that whatever risk they take, they won't get COVID-19 since the death rate has come down". Putting out the main reasons behind the surge, Radhakrishnan said that weddings, birthday celebrations, and funeral events are the main reasons behind the rise of numbers.

He stated that the people are not wearing masks in the political meetings and appealed to all the political leaders that all the cadres and supporters, who arrive at the campaign events, are wearing masks and following the COVID-19 guidelines. Responding to the question of another complete lockdown, Radhakrishnan had asked the people not to believe in rumors and strongly appealed to them to adhere to the guidelines. 

The Tamil Nadu government is gearing up for the measures to contain another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and on Tuesday, Chief Secretary Rajeev Ranjan had held a virtual meeting with the district collectors and directed them to impose a fine for people who are not wearing masks at public places. The Chief Secretary had asked the district administrations to take appropriate disease control measures. 

According to the state health department, Tamil Nadu has reported 8,61,429 cases so far as of Tuesday including 867 fresh cases that were reported on Tuesday. Of these total cases, 5,450 are active, 8,43,423 cases have been discharged while 12,556 had succumbed to the viral infection.