Maharashtra government starts giving final touches to lockdown amid Covid-19 surge

The Maharashtra government has started giving final touches to a short-duration lockdown after a near-unanimity among the political class and the expert advice of the Covid-19 Task Force.

Over the weekend, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray chaired a series of meetings to discuss the emerging pandemic situation, increasing cases and deaths, availability of hospital beds, shortfall of oxygen supply, the demand-supply gap of Remdesivir medicine, treatment protocol and the vaccination drive were discussed.

While on Saturday, the all-party meeting was held, on Sunday, the Task Force held deliberations.

On Monday, Thackeray and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar along with top ministers of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government would meet chiefs of various departments – during which detailed SOPs will be prepared.

While on Tuesday and Wednesday, there would be public holidays on account of Gudi Padwa and Babasaheb Ambedkar birth anniversary, respectively, the government will utilize the time to make preparations.

Read: India bans export of Remdesivir till Covid-19 situation improves

“The Task Force was unanimous over lockdown, the chief minister would be meeting top officials and on Wednesday, the weekly Cabinet meeting is scheduled after which a decision would be taken,” public health and family welfare minister Rajesh Tope said.

The Cabinet would decide on the measures and the duration of the lockdown, sources said.

Over the next three days, the facilities in the government hospitals and the jumbo field hospitals in urban areas would be augmented to cater to the projected needs.

Among those present in the meeting include public health and family welfare minister Rajesh Tope, medical education minister Amit Deshmukh, chief secretary Sitaram Kunte, Covid-19 Task Force chief Dr Sanjay Oak.

Others present in the meeting include additional chief secretary (CMO) Ashish Kumar Singh, principal secretary (CMO) Vikas Kharge, principal secretary (health) Dr Pradeep Vyas, principal secretary (medical education) Saurav Vijay, Task Force members Dr Shashank Joshi, Dr Avinash Supe, Dr Zahir Udwadia, Dr Vasant Nagvekar, Dr Rahul Pandit, Dr Zahir Virani, Dr Om Shrivastava and Dr Tatyarao Lahane, the director of Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DEMR).

Even while the government is making preparations, there were concerning reports from across the state of patients' sufferings and shortage of Remdesivir.