Urging all the state authorities to increase testing and ensure that people maintain COVID-19 protocols, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday told state CMs to focus on night curfews and micro-containment zones while following the formula of ‘test, track and treat’ to bring the coronavirus situation under control.
PM Modi, who chaired a virtual meet with the state chief ministers in the wake of surge in coronavirus cases, said of late, both the people and state administration are exhibiting a casual approach towards the virus.
Stating that India had successfully brought down the number of infections when even vaccines were not available, he said that following Covid-specific SOPs is the only way to keep the virus away.
PM Modi also proposed to observe ‘Tika Utsav (vaccine festival)’ for COVID-19 from April 11 (Jyotirao Phule’s birth anniversary) to April 14 (B R Ambedkar’s birth anniversary) and asked everyone, including civil society members, youths, to come forward and help more and more people eligible for vaccination to get immunised during the period.
Centre, amid complaints of shortage in vaccine by Maharashtra, has decided to send 17 lakh doses instead of the earlier-promised 7.3 lakh.
Surjitt Sahani
