JOIN USCoronavirus: Can break chain of spread of COVID-19, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday appealed to the people to avoid non-essential travel and large gatherings to break the chain of the spread of coronavirus.
In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister also announced a clampdown on foreign travel by ministers and held out an assurance that the government was taking pro-active steps to ensure the safety of all.
“Say no to panic, say yes to precautions. No minister of the central government will travel abroad in the upcoming days. I urge our countrymen to also avoid non-essential travel,” the Prime Minister said.
“Across ministries and states, multiple steps have been pro-actively taken to ensure the safety of all,” he said, listing out steps such as suspension of visas and augmenting healthcare capacities.
“We can break the chain of spread and ensure the safety of all by avoiding large gatherings,” he said.
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan listed out steps taken by the government to contain the spread of the coronavirus outbreak and addressed apprehensions of Lok Sabha members about lapses in screening international passengers at airports.
He told the Lok Sabha that passengers were not only screened at all airports but there was also a tracking system in place to find out people who were found positive and also those who came in their contact.
“At any given time we have 30,000 to 35,000 persons are under community surveillance and we are monitoring each and every movement of theirs,” the minister said seeking to allay apprehensions about lapses.
“There should be no misconception that there is a lapse in screening,” he said, adding initially on January 17, screening was started at seven airports but now it is happening at 30 airports.
The minister also asked Lok Sabha members to spread awareness about the pandemic in their respective constituencies and urge them to avoid large public gatherings.