Coronavirus update: Modi talks to India, has nothing much to say

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation amid a raging second wave of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, but didn’t have much to say in a short (around quarter of an hour) broadcast. 

The PM urged states to try to convince migrant workers to remain workers where they are. Many such workers have reportedly started movig back to their home states fearing a repeat of last year’s India-wide lockdown to curb the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). 

Modi’s message included the issue of vaccination of such workers at the states they reside. He, however, earlier said that the Union government-backed free COVID-19 vaccination drive would remain only for those above 45 years. A large section of India’s workforce is below that age, reflecting the country’s general demography.

He urged the youth to form self-appointed committees at the local level to “enforce” COVID-19 protocol among the general public.

The PM discouraged lockdowns, asking states to consider them only as a “final solution” and to stress more on forming micro-containment zones.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced a state lockdown for April 22-29.

Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia tweeted Tuesday evening to announce that most hospitals in the national Capital were left with oxygen supplies to last only 8-12 hours. Some were even down to a buffer of only five hours. News channel NDTV reported that some big hospitals had stocks for merely 6 hours.

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