Matter of concern to see big crowds without masks in hill stations, markets: PM

We all need to work together to stop the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic, Modi said

Strongly disapproving of tourists flouting Covid-19 protocols at hill stations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic “will not come on its own” and steps need to be taken to prevent a surge in fresh infections.

Addressing chief ministers from northeastern states, Modi also stressed increasing genome sequencing to identify variants of the coronavirus and step up vaccination drive to keep the third wave away.

“It is not good to have huge crowds at hill stations and markets without wearing masks. People say it with pride that they want to enjoy before the third wave. The third wave will not come on its own,” Modi said, appealing to the people not to compromise Covid-19 protocols.

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The virtual meeting was attended by chief ministers of Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim, Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya were among the others who attended the meeting.

“We all need to work together to stop the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic,” he said, adding every step should be taken to avoid events that could lead to crowding.

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Modi stressed the need to keep a close watch on every variant of the coronavirus. “Experts are constantly studying how troubling the virus could be after mutations, but in such a dynamic situation, prevention and treatment are very important,” he said.

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The prime minister said the Covid-19 situation was worrisome in some districts of the North East and urged the chief ministers to stay alert and act fast to check the further spread of the virus.

While most parts of the country have seen a steady decline in the Covid-19 numbers, the northeast region has been a cause of concern with the number of cases either rising or not falling in line with the nationwide trend.