NEW DELHI: The country is again faced with a big battle against COVID-19 and conditions will improve with the decisions taken in recent days, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday and stressed that lockdown should be the last option.
In his address to the nation, Modi said the people were undergoing suffering but “we need to fight it out with all our might” and 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 COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
Modi noted that pharma sector was working relentlessly to meet all COVID-19 challenges, including on vaccine development and supply.
The prime minister said that the shortage of oxygen cylinders has come across as a major problem and said all stakeholders were working collectively to meet this challenge.
The situation is different from last year when there was no COVID vaccine in the country or infrastructure to produce PPE kits and other much-needed medical goods, he noted.
He said lockdown should be the last option and focus should be on micro-containment.
“If we all follow COVID-19 protocols, there”ll be no need to impose lockdowns,” Modi said.
He urged the people to reduce their movement and take vaccination.
