Lockdown should be last option, says PM Modi

New Delhi: On a day India registered a record 1,761 deaths due to Covid-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation and emphasised that lockdown should be the last resort. He urged the state governments to focus more on micro-containment zones.

"In today's situation, we have to save the country from lockdown. I would also request the states to use lockdown as the last option. We have to try hard to avoid lockdown and the focus should be on the micro containment zones only," Modi said during his speech, which lasted nearly 20 minutes.

India's total tally of COVID-19 cases climbed to 1,53,21,089 with 2,59,170 new infections being reported in a day, while active cases surpassed the 20-lakh mark, according to the Union Health ministry data updated on Tuesday. The death toll increased to 1,80,530 with a record 1,761 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

With several states imposing stringent curbs, including night curfews and lockdowns, the Prime Minister said: "Our aim is to save lives. But the impact on the economy and livelihoods should also be as less as possible."

"If we all follow COVID-19 protocols, there'll be no need to impose lockdowns," he added.

Even as the latest curbs have sparked a fresh exodus of migrant labourers from cities, Modi asked the states to convince the labourers to not leave for their hometown while assuring them that they will not be stripped of their livelihood.

Stating that people were suffering in the present situation, the Prime Minister said: "We need to fight it out with all our might". He also expressed confidence that the Coronavirus will be defeated with the combined efforts of the people. "I want to thank our doctors and all our healthcare workers for working non-stop in this fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," he added.

The Prime Minister also called upon the youth to come forward in spreading awareness about the Covid protocols. He said the younger generation should join hands to form small committees in their localities and housing societies to educate people about the necessary measures to be taken to stop the spread of the virus.

"This way we will not need to impose any lockdown or designate vast containment zones," he said.

Noting that the pharma sector was working relentlessly to meet all COVID-19 challenges, including manufacturing vaccines and their supply, he said the firms have ramped up their production already. Although the shortage of oxygen has come across as a major issue, all the stakeholders were working together to meet this challenge, he said.

He also pointed out that the situation is distinctly different from last year when the country did not have COVID vaccine or infrastructure to produce PPE kits and other medical equipment.

Modi's address came hours after he appealed to vaccine manufacturers to scale up their production capacity to inoculate all Indians in the shortest possible time. He also assured all possible support and smooth approval process for the vaccine candidates which are currently under trial phase.

A number of politicians tested positive on Tuesday, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. "After experiencing mild symptoms, I've just tested positive for COVID," the 50-year-old posted on Twitter.

"All those who've been in contact with me recently, please follow all safety protocols and stay safe," he wrote.

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma also tested positive and has been shifted to a private hospital in Gurgaon, sources said on Tuesday.

The 68-year-old Sharma, who was admitted to the Apollo Hospital in Delhi late on Monday night, tested positive for the infection on Tuesday and has now been moved to the Medanta Hospital, sources close to him said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal on Tuesday tested positive and is being treated under home isolation as of now, officials said. The Chief Minister has also isolated himself. Union minister of state for development of North-eastern region Jitendra Singh on Tuesday joined the list of the country's leaders who have contracted the virus. Confirming it on Twitter, Singh said: "I have today tested Covid positive with symptoms. Please get yourself screened if you were in my contact recently and take care."