Don't spread panic, go by medical advise rather than perception: Vice President Venkaiah Naidu

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday said one should not allow panic to be spread about Covid-19 and urged everyone to go by medical advise rather than general perception.

Naidu made his remarks during Zero Hour after CPI Parliamentary Group leader Binoy Viswam urged the government to provide masks "free of cost" to people.

"While talking about this, we have to be careful. We should not spread fear...One has to be very careful by taking preventive steps. We should not allow this panic to spread across the country," Naidu said.

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The Chairman also referred to an international medical expert Dr Bruce Lipton and said the crux of the latter's opinion is that "the fear of the Covid-19 is more deadly than the virus itself".

"So, let us not create panic...Fortunately, the people of India – because of the weather here, because of our lifestyle, because of other things – are comparatively stronger and we are capable of fighting it back. I do see a point in what he (Viswam) has said. But, it has to be carefully analysed. Then, we should go by the medical device, rather than general perception," he said.

In his submission, Viswam said the spread of COVID-19 is on the rise and affecting the whole of India.

"The people are really apprehensive of this virus. We are repeatedly saying that there is no need to be panic. It is true. It is not a moment to be panic. But, we have to be careful and responsible. Health and science experts say that prevention is a must and, for that, masks and sanitizers are a necessity. But these are not available all over the country. Black-marketeers have come into the scene," he said.

"The prices are going up like anything. For a mask which costs less than Rs 10 earlier, it has now become Rs 50 or Rs. 70 or even Rs 100 per piece, but even then they are not available. Hoarding has begun. Common people, poor, workers, daily-wagers are affected the most...For this kind of people, there is no possibility to buy masks at such a high price. Many of them do not know its necessity also," Viswam said.

Demanding that free masks must be provided to the people by the government, he said the cost of treating thousands of people would be much higher than providing them free masks.