As states go for stringent Covid curbs, PM says lockdown needs to be ‘last option’

On a day India registered a file 1,761 deaths on account of Covid-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation and emphasised that lockdown needs to be the final resort. He urged the state governments to focus extra on micro-containment zones.
“In today’s situation, we have to save the country from lockdown. I would also request the states to use lockdown as the last option. We have to try hard to avoid lockdown and the focus should be on the micro containment zones only,” PM Modi stated throughout his speech, which lasted almost 20 minutes.

With a number of states imposing stringent curbs, together with evening curfews and lockdowns, PM Modi stated, “Our aim is to save lives. But the impact on the economy and livelihoods should also be as less as possible.”
“If we all follow COVID-19 protocols, there’ll be no need to impose lockdowns,” he added.
Even as the most recent curbs have sparked a recent exodus of migrant labourers from cities, PM Modi requested the states to persuade the labourers to not depart for his or her hometown whereas assuring them that they won’t be stripped of their livelihood.
Migrant staff queue up for buses at Anand Vihar bus terminal, New Delhi.
Stating that folks had been struggling within the current state of affairs, the Prime Minister stated, “we need to fight it out with all our might”. He additionally expressed confidence that the coronavirus might be defeated with the mixed efforts of the folks. “I want to thank our doctors and all our healthcare workers for working non-stop in this fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added.
The Prime Minister additionally known as upon the youth to come back ahead in spreading consciousness concerning the Covid protocols. He stated the youthful era ought to be a part of fingers to kind small committees of their localities and housing societies to teach folks concerning the crucial measures to be taken to cease the unfold of the virus.
“This way we will not need to impose any lockdown or designate vast containment zones,” he stated.
Noting that the pharma sector was working relentlessly to satisfy all COVID-19 challenges, together with manufacturing vaccines and their provide, he stated the companies have ramped up their manufacturing already. Although the scarcity of oxygen has come throughout as a significant concern, all of the stakeholders had been working collectively to satisfy this problem, he stated.
Migrant labourers in Delhi head house after announcement of 7-day lockdown in metropolis.
He additionally identified that the state of affairs is distinctly completely different from final 12 months when the nation didn’t have COVID vaccine or infrastructure to supply PPE kits and different medical gear.
His tackle got here hours after he appealed to vaccine producers to scale up their manufacturing capability to inoculate all Indians within the shortest doable time. He additionally assured all doable help and easy approval course of for the vaccine candidates that are presently below trial section.
According to a press release from the PMO, Modi famous that the federal government has now allowed vaccination for each grownup ranging from May 1 because it believes within the capability of vaccine makers.
With PTI inputs