‘We are not suppressing figures regarding COVID-19'

Tamil Nadu is prepared for the worst; a lockdown will be implemented in a phased manner, says Health Minister

- Vijay Kumar

Describing as baseless the allegation that the State has been suppressing the figures regarding COVID-19, Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar has said a complete lockdown is the best option to control the spread of the disease. In an interview on Sunday, he said the State was prepared for the worst. Excerpts:

Given that seasonal flu can mimic the symptoms of the coronavirus, would you advise anyone with cough, fever and breathlessness to undergo tests?

Yes, there is a seasonal flu that has similar symptoms. Earlier, we were insisting on people getting themselves tested if they had fever, cough and breathlessness. But since Saturday night, breathlessness triggered by acute respiratory syndrome or pneumonia is sufficient to warrant the test.

This way, we can prevent the spread of the virus in the community. There is no dearth of testing kits or beds in isolation wards. We have eight testing centres with adequate testing kits, made available for free by the Centre.

What is the treatment protocol for patients with strong symptoms?