'Lockdown guidelines have acted as a potent social vaccine': Dr Harsh Vardhan

The doubling rate of COVID-19 cases in the country is currently at above 13 days, which is a significant improvement compared to the 3.4 days, which existed in the pre-lockdown phase, according to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday. He said that the nationwide lockdown was imposed in the country at the opportune moment as compared to other countries where it was imposed either late or partially.

"If the doubling rate in India before the lockdown was between 3.4 days, today the doubling rate is more than 13-days. Lockdown and all its guidelines have acted as a potent social vaccine," Dr Harsh Vardhan said.

"Lockdown was imposed in India at the right time. Other developed countries wasted many days to take this decision. In some countries when the situation went out of control they took the decision of lockdown and in most places, it was partial lockdown," he added.

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Meanwhile, India witnessed the biggest ever spike of 6,767 positive cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases to 1,31,868, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. As many as 147 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 3,867. Out of the total number of cases, 73,560 are active and 54,440 have been cured/discharged and one migrated.

India under lockdown

On May 17, the Centre announced the extension of India's nationwide Coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown till May 31. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has released its detailed guidelines for the extended lockdown, allowing the delineation of red, green and orange zones as per state and UT governments, taking the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) into consideration. Since then, several states have released their own state guidelines - most easing the lockdown. Currently, India has 1,31,868 cases, with 54,441 recoveries and 3867 deaths.

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(Image credits: PTI)

(with inputs from ANI)