Need lockdown exit plan: PM to CMs
‘Testing, tracing, isolation must be focus over next few weeks’
Nine days after imposing nationwide lockdown due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday indicted that a staggered end of the lockdown is on the anvil. PM Modi, who held a discussion with chief ministers of various states through a video conference on Covid-19 preparedness, sought their suggestions for a common “exit strategy” to end the 21-day lockdown in a phased manner after April 14.
“It is important to formulate a common exit strategy to ensure staggered reemergence of the population once lockdown ends,” PM said as he asked the states to brainstorm and send suggestions.
The CMs will revert with their suggestions which will be discussed in the next meeting. No date was set for when that will be.
India on Thursday reported 432 fresh cases of Covid-19 and 15 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the total positive cases in the country to 2,069. Out of these, 1,860 are active, 155 cured, 53 have died and one migrated. Among the new positive cases are three doctors, two from AIIMS, and one from CRPF. They have no history of travel or contact with Covid-19 patients.
It is learnt that the government is mulling a staggered end to the 21day lockdown which has brought the country and economic activities to a standstill. Sources said the government is keen that any decision on staggered opening up of restrictions after April 14 is arrived at with the consensus of states.
Sources added that under a phased easing of the lockdown, people residing under identified hotspots may not be allowed to move out immediately. Also restrictions will remain in place for senior citizens above the age of 65 years and children below 10. While government and private sector may start functioning, restrictions on air and train travel will be eased gradually.
Indications are that the government will allow domestic flights to start operating. “We are hoping that on April 15 flights can start operating,” minister of state for civil aviation Hardeep Singh Puri said. Travel aggregators have already started showing airlines tickets availability and pricing from April 15 onwards.
During the meeting with PM, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray suggested that all large gatherings should remain prohibited and religious leaders should be asked to refrain from holding any meets.
In tweet, which he later deleted, Arunachal Pradesh CM Mr Prema Khandu indicated that the lockdown will end but restriction will remain. “Completion of lockdown will end on April 15 next. But it doesn’t mean freewill to move out on streets... Lockdown and social distancing in (sic) the only way to fight Covid-19,” he had tweeted.