Mission-mode approach needed for states worst hit by Covid-19: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chairing a high-level meeting on Sunday, directed the continuation of the "mission-mode" approach in states and districts reporting high cases. While reviewing the pandemic situation and the vaccination programme across the state, he further directed all states to take stringent measure and comprehensive restrictions. The sharp increase in cases was attributed to a decline in compliance to covid-appropriate behaviour in wearing masks and maintaining social distance, pandemic fatigue, and lack of effective containment.

"Public involvement is paramount, and there is a need to continue Jan Bhagidari and Jan Andolan for Covid-19 management," said the PM, stressing the need for awareness in the community.

The five-fold strategy of Testing, Tracing, Treatment, Covid appropriate behaviour, and Vaccination, if implemented with utmost seriousness and commitment, would be effective in curbing the spread of the pandemic, he noted. It has also been decided to hold a special campaign for Covid appropriate behaviour from April 6-14.

In addition to covid-appropriate behaviour, he also emphasized the need to ensure the availability of beds, testing facilities and timely hospitalization. He has also directed central teams of public health specialists and clinicians to be sent to Maharashtra, Punjab and Chhattisgarh due to their highest contribution to covid cases. The meeting took place when Indian recorded 93,249 cases in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day spike since September 2020.

The Prime Minister especially highlighted the need to ensure effective implementation of containment measures, besides community volunteers' involvement in active case search and management of containment zones.

Additionally, it was informed in the meeting that vaccine manufacturers are ramping up production capacity and are in discussion with other domestic and offshore companies to augment it to secure adequate quantities of vaccines to meet the rising domestic requirement as well as of other countries.

The meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary to PM, the Cabinet Secretary, the Home Secretary, the Chairperson of the Empowered group on Vaccine Administration, the Health Secretary, the Pharmaceuticals Secretary, the Biotechnology Secretary, the AYUSH Secretary, the DG ICMR, the Principal Scientific Advisor to Govt, and Member NITI Aayog, besides other officials.