Chennai: The Health Department in Tamil Nadu on Friday urged the Higher Education Ministry in the State to allow only vaccinated students to enter the premises of universities and colleges in a bid to control the spread of virus after nine students tested Covid-19 positive at a college in the city.
Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian, along with the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister Sekar Babu, chaired a meeting of top officials of various universities and colleges on the Covid-19 protocols that need to be intensified in educational institutions.
During the meeting, Mr Subramanian said the institutions should function by adhering to the Covid-19 protocols, including wearing a facial mask, maintaining social distancing and conducting classes on a rotational basis.
With nine students testing Covid-19 positive at the Anna University, Chennai, recently, the Higher Education Ministry should issue an advisory that vaccinated students alone be allowed to enter the colleges and universities, Mr Subramanian said.
He cited lack of vaccination of students was one of the reasons for the decision.
"Till date, only 46 per cent of students in Tamil Nadu have received the first dose of the vaccine while 12 per cent of students got the second," he said.
Institutions should ensure that Covid-19 behaviour be followed by students while attending classes and even in the canteen, he said and added that cultural programmes and other events which would see gathering of students should be banned.
"The Higher Education Ministry has been requested to direct the colleges and district administration that the plans discussed in the review meeting be implemented," he told reporters later. Subramanian said there were four lakh students studying in private engineering colleges.
Mass vaccination programmes, along with the Greater Chennai Corporation, would be conducted by the Health Department to ensure students receive the vaccine, he said.