Close all liquor shops as COVID positivity rate touch 8 pc: OPS

AIADMK coordinator and former chief minister O Panneerselvam on Sunday urged the government to close all the liquor shops in the wake of the rapid spread of coronavirus cases across the state.

Pointing out that during the Assembly session, the DMK government claimed that when the liquor shops were opened on June 14, 2021, only when 5.4 per cent coronavirus cases were reported and on June 23, the number of cases was reduced to 2.8 per cent, the AIADMK leader in a statement said the government further said that liquor shops were not opened in various districts, which reported more than 5 per cent of cases.

“However, on January 8, 2022, of the total 1.39 lakh people tested, as many as 10,978 persons were positive for coronavirus, which is about 8 per cent, the AIADMK leader in a statement, said adding “going by their (DMK) earlier statement in the Assembly, the liquor shops should have been closed by now since the affected percentage was above 5 per cent.”

Condemning the DMK government for not ordering the closure of liquor shops amid the increase in the number of coronavirus cases, he said, “On one side, closing schools and temples and on the other opening of liquor shops will not serve the purpose to control the number of coronavirus cases.”

OPS said going by the current statistics in the number of people affected by the virus, the percentage of increase is expected to double from the current 8 per cent in one week. “In addition, experts have also suggested that in February, the pandemic situation will come to a peak,” he said adding “at least to reduce the peak level, it is better to close the liquor shops with immediate effect.”

“Therefore, taking into consideration the welfare of the people in the state and also as a part of control measures, the government should order closure of all the liquor shops across the state till the percentage of the number of coronavirus cases reduces to below 5 per cent,” he stressed.

Going by current statistics, the number of people to be hit will be double, OPS said