PM Modi to CMs: Need to think about Unlock 2

The indicators of economic performance are showing signs of revival following reduction in restrictions imposed during the coronavirus lockdown, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday as he told chief ministers to think about ‘Unlock 2.0’ and also ways to minimise infection.

He noted that the spread of COVID-19 is more in a few big states and cities and urged the chief ministers to make full use of their state’s existing testing capacity and also work to augment health infrastructure.

   

He said there was a need to “fight” rumours that the lockdown could be reimposed.

Speaking to chief ministers and representatives of 14 states and the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Modi said big crowds, lack of physical-distancing, daily movement of large number of people and small houses in some cities have made the battle against coronavirus “more challenging”.

This was the second day of Modi’s sixth round of consultations with chief ministers on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

He underlined the need to “fight rumours of lockdown”, pointing out that the country is now in the “phase of unlocking”.

“We need to now think about phase 2 of Unlock and how to minimise all possibilities of harm to our people,” he said according to the statement.

He noted that with reduced restrictions, indicators of economic performance are showing signs of revival. Inflation has also been kept under control, and asked states to take steps to boost infrastructure and construction-related activities.

In a word of caution, Modi referred to the rise in number of infections and underscored the need for testing, tracking, tracing and isolating COVID-19 patients to deal with the pandemic.

There has been criticism that some states and cities, including Delhi, are not doing enough testing.

The prime minister, however, stated that the number of recovered patients has also been rising, and added that it is a matter of relief that very few patients needed ICU and ventilator care.

Citing the details of the boost in capacity to deal with the virus, he asked states to continue to put emphasis on “health Infrastructure, information systems, emotional support and public participation”.

Praising efforts of states and local administration, he said the country now has more than 900 COVID-19 testing labs, lakhs of special beds, thousands of isolation and quarantine centres, adequate stocks of testing kits, with over one crore personal protective equipment (PPEs) and almost same numbers of N-95 masks supplied to states.

Despite a rise in coronavirus cases in a few places, people’s patience, administration’s work and dedication of corona warriors have ensured that things did not go out of control, he said.

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