“The new Omicron variant is spreading much faster than the last year’s Delta variant. A survey, taken 10 days ago in the city, revealed that only 35 per cent of the people are wearing them. Coronavirus is spreading rapidly in the city and people should compulsorily wear masks in public places. If not, the cases will increase manifold by mid-January,” Bedi said after inspecting the screening centre for Covid patients at Bharathi Arts College at Royapuram along with HR&CE minister PK Sekar Babu.

The Commissioner asked that the public get tested at urban primary health centres if they have a cold or throat pain.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister MK Stalin distributed masks to several people when he travelled around the city on Monday to check the public COVID protocol compliance. A day after he appealed to the people to wear masks and follow social distancing norms, the CM interacted with people at Omandurar Govt Estate bus stop, opposite Spencer Plaza, Thousand Lights, Eldam Road Signal, Chepauk, Teynampet and SIET college bus stop.

Minister Sekar Babu said that the Corporation has appointed 1,000 focus volunteers for 200 divisions at the rate of five per division to assist COVID patients in home isolation. The Corporation has also decided to ramp up the number of sample collections to 30,000 a day.