Managed To Save Thousands Of Lives In Past 1.5 Months Due To Lockdown: Modi To CMs

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the nationwide lockdown has yielded positive results and that the country has managed to save thousands of lives in the past one and a half months, and asserted that importance must be given to the ecomony as well in the fight against COVID-19.

“Our aim must be rapid response, need to follow mantra of ‘do gaz doori’ [a distance of two yards],” he said, according to an official statement on the PM's interaction with the chief ministers. “We have to give importance to the economy as well as continue the fight against COVID-19,” he adds.

Modi said that states must make efforts to covert red zones into orange and then into green zones.

The PM also said that masks and face covers will be part of our lives and that danger of the COVID-19 pandemic is "far from over".

“Impact of coronavirus will remain visible in the coming months, masks and face covers will be part of our life,” he said, while adding “constant vigilance is of paramount importance”.

On the issue of Indians stranded ashore, the PM said that countrymen who are stranded abroad should be brought back without any inconvenience, while also ensuring that their families are not under any risk.

The PM held a video conference with chief ministers to discuss the situation arising due to COVID-19 in the country, which is under a 50-day lockdown since March 25 to contain the pandemic. Among those present at the virtual meet, included Home Minister Amit Shah, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and top officials from the PMO and Union Health Ministry.

The chief ministers who attended the meeting included Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi), Pinarayi Vijayan (Kerala), Uddhav Thackeray (Maharashtra), E K Palaniswami (Tamil Nadu), Conard Sangma (Meghalaya) Trivendram Singh Rawat (Uttarakhand) and Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh).

On the extension of lockdown, five of nine CMs said the lockdown must end, while the rest were in favour of extending it for the sake of containing and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic.

The PM was wearing a white 'gamcha' (Indian stole for men) with green border. He has been using 'gamcha' to cover his face during such meets.

India reported 27,892 coronavirus cases and 824 deaths, according to the health ministry’s morning update at 8 am on Monday.

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