TN Govt mandates COVID negative certificate for medicos to join state-run medical colleges

A few months ago Meenakshi Medical College Hospital and Research Institute of Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu had decided to reopen the institution but 52 first-year MBBS students of the institute were tested COVID positive. After remaining shut for over nine months on the pretext of the coronavirus pandemic, the colleges and schools in the state started reopening partially from the second week of January.

However, after the 52 students got infected with COVID in the institution, the college authorities placed more importance on the safety measures and cancelled on-campus classes taking precaution against the pandemic. The institution then resorted to online classes for the medicos till the situation improves.

As per a recent media report in Times of India, now the Directorate of Medical Education has issued a circular stating that students will not be permitted to attend classes physically or stay in hostels unless they deliver a COVID negative certificate. The Directorate of Medical Education, Dr R Narayanababu has sent the circular to the college administrations. Dr. R Narayanababu further added that medicos who are yet to the test can get it done at the respective institutions.

Authorities have already instructed the hospital administrators regarding the safety measures for opening the colleges. The college administrators must sanitize classrooms, libraries, laboratories, hostel mess, hostel, college and hospital premises according to the standard protocol. Authorities should ensure that liquid soap and sanitizer dispensers are available at the handwashing stations on the campus, stated the circular. Moreover, medicos with COVID-like symptoms should be quarantined and treated as per the norm mandatorily, reports the daily.