Tamil Nadu govt's guidelines for TASMAC outlets: Masks, social distancing & token system

As COVID cases continue to surge in Tamil Nadu, the state government has announced restrictions for the government-controlled liquor shops TASMAC, including the introduction of a token system, as per sources. The restrictions came in place as Tamil Nadu as the southern state reported over 10,000 COVID-19 cases on Monday. As per the new restrictions imposed by the state government, wearing masks and maintaining social distancing is mandatory for customers at TASMAC outlets. 

As per the state government's orders, the supervisors of the outlets have been directed to ensure that all TASMAC employees wear triple-layered masks, hand gloves and face shield. Further, it directed the premises to be cleaned using disinfectant at regular intervals and it suggested that employees be stationed outside the liquor shops in order to enforce social distancing. The newly issued guidelines mandated no more than five people are allowed to be present at the TASMAC stores at a time while 50 markers for social distancing purposes must be painted, as per sources. 

The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) is a Government of Tamil Nadu owned company that enjoys a monopoly over wholesale and retail vending of alcoholic beverages in Tamil Nadu. There are 19 Distilleries manufacturing alcohol in Tamil Nadu. Among them, 17 are in the private sector while two are in the co-operative sector. The sale of liquor in black has been dealt with meekly in the past and often comes into the limelight with the elections or with a petition being filed at the Courts seeking direction against malpractice. 

Tamil Nadu reports over 10,000 COVID cases in 24 hours

Tamil Nadu on Monday reported yet another single-day high of COVID-19 cases, in excess of 10,000 for the second day in a row, while 44 deaths pushed the toll to 13,157. As many as 10,941 new cases pushed the overall infections to 10,02,392, while the active cases surged past 75,000. According to a government medical bulletin, 6,172 people were cured of the dreaded virus on Monday, even as the total recoveries stood at 9,14,119.

Active cases were 75,116. Chennai constituted the bulk of cases with 3,347 people, while Chengalpattu clocked 970. Coimbatore at 735 and Tiruvallur with 535 new patients followed suit. Chennai also led on the death count, at 4415. Of the 44 deceased, four had no comorbidities. New cases included those who had arrived from foreign destinations and other states via air and road, the bulletin said. So far, 2,12,99,220 samples have been tested by RT-PCR. Meanwhile, 48,07,148 people have been administered with COVID vaccine so far, the government said.