Covid-19 still active, caution needed in festive season: PM

Modi says that while India has made progress in battling Covid, it can be undone if people show carelessness

Days before an extended festival season kicks in, Prime Minister Narendra has warned citizens that while India has made progress in battling the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the disease was still active and present, there was no vaccine available, and citizens would be putting their own lives and that of their families at risk if they failed to abide by social distancing protocols, wear masks and wash their hands regularly.

In an address to the nation on Tuesday evening, PM Modi offered both global examples to suggest that carelessness could lead to a spike in infections and Indian examples, citing recent videos and photographs, to suggest that there was a pattern of growing carelessness at home too. He asked citizens to spread awareness about the risks of the disease as an act of national service.

The PM’s remarks come days before the Vijaya Dashmi festival, which often sees large congregations at pandals, especially in West Bengal. It also comes before other festivals such Diwali, Eid, and Chatth, many of which too, traditionally, have been public festivals.

But this has brought forth a tension between public health imperatives — which stipulate distancing — on one side, and religious traditions — where the expression of faith is often public — and economic considerations — since this is a season which witnesses higher consumer spending — on the other.

The PM, weighing in clearly in favour of public health needs, but with a degree of activity, said, “From the Janata curfew to now, Indians have traversed a long journey. With time, economic activity has also slowly picked up. A majority of us are coming out of our homes. There is activity in the markets too. But we must not forget that even if the lockdown has gone, the virus hasn’t gone yet.”

Highlighting how India has achieved relative success in the battle against Covid-19, the PM said that there was a “controlled situation” at the moment, but this must not worsen and instead the effort must be to build on it.

He cited data — 5,500 cases and 83 deaths per million in

India against close to 2,500 cases and 600 deaths per million in countries such as the United States and Brazil — to point out that India had both a high recovery rate and low fatality rate. India also, he said, now, had nine million beds for Covid-19 patients, 12,000 quarantine centres and 2000 labs — and was close to completing 100 million tests.

“This is not the time for carelessness. It is not the time to think that Covid has gone or that there is no danger from Covid. We have seen videos and photographs in recent days where it is clear that people are either not following precautions or have been complacent. If you are being careless and are going out without a mask, you are putting yourself, your families, your elders and your children at risk.”

The PM pointed to the US and Europe and said that after a dip in cases, there was a worrying spike in cases in these geographies again, and said that till there was a vaccine, there must not be any weakness in the battle against Covid-19. He added that both globally and in India, there was tremendous work — on war footing — being done to develop vaccines, some of which were in the advanced stages of trial. “The government is also working on a plan to ensure that vaccines reach all citizens..but till there is no medicine, don’t let down your guard.”