Taking his nationwide address on March 19th a step further, PM Narendra Modi has called for a complete lockdown for the next 21 days, starting 12 pm tonight.
In his 30-minute address, he pressed on the need for social distancing, urging people to strictly follow government orders. He has asked people to stay inside no matter what—saying that a single person’s carelessness will cost the country dearly.
If some of us fail to follow government directives, several families will be destroyed, along with the economy getting pushed behind at least 21 years, he said. The onus is on us to keep ourselves and our near and dear ones safe.
He also brought up the fact that even countries with robust healthcare systems such as the US and Italy are struggling to contain the pandemic. Hence, we must be cautious. India is at a stage where our actions today will decide how effectively we can contain this outbreak. He urged the public to think of those at the frontline of battling this disease, who are serving others at this time of distress.
Additionally, he reassured the people that there will be no shortage in the supply of essential commodities.
The Prime Minister has also announced that the centre has allocated funds around 15,000 crores to improve the healthcare system and provide essential equipment to deal with the disease such as test kits, ventilators, etc.
Requesting the public to steer clear of misinformation and superstitions, he advised them to not self-medicate without proper consultation. Closing his address, he told the people that three weeks is a long time, but it’s the only way for India to break the chain of this transmission.
You can view the full speech here:
