The Tamil Nadu government has announced that the state will start vaccinating people in the 18 - 44 age group from May 20. Health Minister M Subramanian said that the government has allotted Rs 46 crores to purchase vaccines and nine lakh doses have arrived in Tamil Nadu so far.

"Initially, the government will vaccinate those people aged between 18 years and 44 years from whom the coronavirus can spread much faster like auto-rickshaw drivers and factory workers. Chief Minister MK Stalin will formally inaugurate the programme on May 20," the Health Minister reportedly said on Tuesday, after inaugurating the "oxygen on wheels" initiative launched by Inner Wheel Club of Adyar. Only 38,710 people in the age of 18-44 have been vaccinated against Covid-19 so far, while 64,60,624 people belonging to the age group have been vaccinated against the virus across the country.

On Tuesday, a total of 33,059 new cases of Covid-19 were registered in Tamil Nadu, taking the total tally in the state to 16,64,350, while 364 people succumbed to the illness on Tuesday, taking the total number of deaths in the state to 18,369.