chennai as covid19 cases continue to climb towards the peak and several people complain about lack of information on bed availability the state health department set up the covid19 unified command centre ucc at the office of the national health mission at the directorate of medical services on anna salaithe combat center will help finding beds especially for criticallyill patients and monitor oxygen cylinder requirements in private hospitals the nodal agency will use the 104 health helpline and twitter handle 104gotn through which individuals can directly request beds and gain assistance with bedsfortnas of now bed availability in private hospitals are periodically updated on webpage we will soon be adding the status of government hospitals beds on this website said health secretary j radhakrishnan the command centre will work with existing covidrelated services such as the state health insurance and implementing the clinical establishment act and the public health act it will work as a support structure to strengthen the ongoing covid control measures taken he saidthe state has an adequate number of beds and the state will add 7000 more beds by may 7 he said patients must consult doctors or visit screening centres before they go to hospitals for admissions more than 50 of patients have mild or no symptoms they can remain in isolation at home he said