Modi urges caution ahead of festivals

LOCKDOWN MAY HAVE GONE BUT CORONAVIRUS HASN’T, SAYS PM

Prime minister Narendra Modi said his government will ensure that all 1.3 billion Indian have access to a Covid- 19 vaccine as soon it is ready and asked citizens to exercise caution ahead of the country’s festival season to check a spike in infection in the world’s secondworst affected nation.

“We have covered a long distance in the fight against the pandemic. Economic activities are gathering pace with time,” he said in an address to the nation on Tuesday. “This is not the time to get careless.”

Starting this weekend, Indians will be celebrating several festivals including Dussehra, Diwali and Christmas that could potentially lead to a sharp jump in the country’s daily virus infections. India’s total cases currently stand at over 7.6 million.

Vacccine delivery

“The government is also working on preparations to distribute the vaccine to every citizen when that stage comes,” Modi said adding that the government “is working at a rapid pace to ensure the vaccine reaches each and every individual.”

Modi’s message comes at a time when leaders in Europe are reviving local area lockdowns to slow renewed infection surges, an option India cannot exercise widely because of the hit its economy has already taken from its earlier strict lockdown. The steady rise in cases is making it harder to revive an economy that shrank 24 per cent in the quarter ended June.

Modi urged people to not let their guard down, saying that the situation that the country has reached in its fight against the virus should not be allowed tobe adversely impacted and that “lockdown may have gone but the virus has not gone away”.

He said people of the country have covered a long journey from Janta Curfew in March in the fight against Covid- 19.

“Most of us are committed to our responsibilities and moving out of our homes to do our duties. In the times of festivals, streets are seeing increased activity. Butwe have to remember that lockdown may have gone but the virus has not gone away. The situation that we have reached in seveneight months should not be allowed to impacted adversely,” he said.

“We are moving ahead after coming out of a difficult time, a little carelessness can stop our speed, impact our joys. Fulfilling responsibilities and following caution, if these go together, only then will the joys of life be protected,” he said.

He referred to India having the highest rate of recoveries.

“The recovery rate is good, the fatality rate is low. Our country is well placed today compared to resource- rich nations in the fight against Covid19. The increased testing is our strength in this fight.”

We have covered a long distance in the fight against the pandemic. Economic activities are gathering pace with time… This is not the time to get careless.”

Narendra Modi | Indian Prime Minister