In a tone of requesting the Tamil Nadu people, Chief Minister MK Stalin has appealed to the people to adhere to the Covid-19 guidelines and protocols and asked them not to force the government to impose strict lockdown again. His appeal has come on Sunday, a day after the government has extended the lockdown with no further relaxations and poured restrictions in some of the services in the Covid-19 protocols including Chennai and Coimbatore as the sequel of the surging cases in the state for the past few days. 

In a recorded video clipping that was released on Sunday, the Chief Minister said, "People should not become a reason - for the spread of Covid-19 - themselves by crowding at public places. I strongly request you all not to force the government to impose restrictions." By citing that the vaccination is the best weapon to beat the pandemic, MK Stalin urged the people to get administered with both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. 

It must be noted that Tamil Nadu is one of the top states in India to report the least or no wastage of the vaccine doses. The Chief Minister said, "We are exhausting the vaccines being given by the Union government. We are also procuring vaccines additionally as the number of vaccines given by the Union government is not sufficient. We are providing vaccines to the people as they arrive in the state." 

Highlighting the adverse impact of the Zika virus and the Covid-19 variants, Stalin has asserted, "We will definitely win over them. Exit your house only in case necessary and ensure you wear two masks and do not remove them while in public places." He further said that doctors are stating that the third wave may be worse than the first and second waves and defending the government's move of re-opening the shops with the view of public interest, the Chief Minister said that people are not adhering to the Covid-19 norms by breaching the protocols by not wearing masks in public places. 

He said, "I am deeply anguished to see that people don't have proper awareness." He further said that in the albeit of having an adequate medical infrastructure in the state, people should try to get rid of the infection and noted that the second wave was different compared to the first wave and the third wave may be different from the second wave. He appealed to the people not to be careless about the virus and affirmed that be it a third wave or any other wave, the Tamil Nadu government has the power to face it. 

On the front of why the government has imposed strict restrictions in crowded areas including Chennai and Coimbatore, the Chief Minister said that people should refrain from violating the norms. He added that the pandemic has been affecting people across the country for over 18 months now and the government has taken various precautionary measures including developing medical infrastructure and the dedicated service of the doctors, nurses, and medical staff had helped the government in containing the pandemic so far. 

According to the state health department, Tamil Nadu has reported 1,990 fresh cases, 2,156 discharges, and 26 deaths on Sunday including 175 and 230 cases from Chennai and Coimbatore respectively. Overall, the state has recorded 25,61,587 cases so far as of Sunday of which 20,524 are active, 25,06,961 have been discharged, and 34,102 have succumbed to the viral infection.