Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold another round of video conference with all chief ministers on Saturday to discuss the coronovirus epidemic and is expected to extend the lockdown, which ends on 14 April.
The center is considering extending a three-week nationwide shutdown over the outbreak of the coronavirus virus (Kovid-19), as some states halted its enforcement from 14 April. It will also take into consideration the option of lifting the restrictions in a bang-up manner.
Punjab and then Odisha have already extended the lockdown till the end of the month.
Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka have said that the Kovid-19 threat would be easier to handle if the lockdown, which took effect on March 25, remains in force for a longer period.
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Puducherry are also among others who have supported the expansion of the lockout.
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Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday emphasized that the lockdown is the only way to save our people ‘as he refused to lift the nationwide ban at once.
He had said that life after the coronovirus epidemic would not be the same again and would be “pre-corona and post-corona” for the time to come.
“I am regularly talking to CMs, districts, and experts. Nobody is asking me to lift the lockdown. We need strict rules to maintain the social distinction. We have to take many unexpected steps, ”Modi said.
“I will talk to CM again. But so far, the mood is that the lifting of the entire lockdown is not possible. We are also talking at the district level. For us, lockdown is the only way to save our people, ”Modi said.
The number of Kovid-19 cases in India reached 6761 on Friday and 206 have died of the disease so far.
Experts have expressed concern that once the lockdown is lifted and people are allowed to move out of the home, it could cause a spike in many cases, negating the benefit from the lockdown. However, there are also concerns that continuing with a strict lockdown could cause long-term damage to the economy.
The central government has called for the current lockdown to be strictly enforced and has reached out to states to assess whether certain categories of services and people need to be exempted, in a sign that a set of restrictions are in place. Will remain
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan met state health ministers on Friday and requested them to ensure that the lockdown is strictly followed.
“I request the Health Ministers of all states to ensure that the lockdown in your respective states is 100% adhered to. If we fall behind in this, it will be difficult for us to win this battle against Kovid-19. ‘
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The Center also formed 10 high-level multi-disciplinary central teams to assist the states, where a large number of cases are coming up.
These teams have been taken to Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh to assist them in preparations, hospital preparations and ventilator management.
The Union Home Ministry has also approached the states and asked if more categories of people and services need to be exempted, officials familiar with the development said on Friday.
The move is widely seen as a sign that the lockdown will continue in some form.
