Patnaik calls for silent prayer in memory of COVID Warriors

In a bid to boost the morale of the thousands of people engaged in the fight against COVID-19 in the state, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urged people to observe a silent prayer on Wednesday and take an oath to follow guidelines to avoid infection.

"I will lead a silent prayer in the memory of COVID Warriors. I appeal to my 4.5 crore sisters and brothers of Odisha to join this silent prayer at 6 pm tomorrow," Patnaik said.

He said the best way to honour the sacrifice of COVID Warriors is to support them cooperate with them. After the silent prayer, people will take a pledge to adhere to the guidelines issued by the state and the central governments to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Odisha, Patnaik said in a statement. The people of the state are fighting COVID pandemic for almost five months in the best possible manner, Patnaik said.

"This would not have been possible without the commitment and dedication of thousands of COVID Warriors who are working round the clock," he said.

He further said that these warriors have sacrificed hugely to keep the rest of the people safe and some have also sacrificed their lives in this deadly fight. The CM also asked officials to ensure that the COVID Warriors including health workers, anganwadi, ASHA and others get their due. The government is yet to reveal the exact number of COVID Warriors who lost their lives.