PM Modi assures availability of essential commodities amid 21-day Coronavirus lockdown

After announcing the 21-day nationwide lockdown, PM Modi on Tuesday assured the nation that there is absolutely no need to panic. Assuring the availability of essential commodities and medicines, he said that all state governments and the Centre are working in coordination. He urged Indians to stay inside, stating that by converging around shops, the risk of spread increases.

Coronavirus outbreak: PM Modi announces 21-day pan-India lockdown starting from midnight

PM Modi assures availability of essential commodities

PM Modi announces 21-day pan-India lockdown

Amid the rising Coronavirus cases in India, PM Modi, on Tuesday, announced a 21-day curfew throughout India starting at midnight on Tuesday. He said that 21 days were necessary for breaking the transmission cycle of the pandemic. The 21-day curfew is applicable to all states, districts, and villages - irrespective of whether they are currently under curfew or not. Currently, India's positive cases stand at 519, with ten deaths. 

"From midnight 12, across the country, there will be countrywide lockdown in India. There will be a complete restriction of leaving out from the residence.  All districts, villages will be locked down. This is curfew only -a stricter curfew than Janta curfew. We have to bear economic consequences because of this. But to save every Indian's life at this time is my and the government's responsibility," said PM Modi. 

Coronavirus: ICMR predicts delay in 'community transmission' by 3 weeks due to quarantine

Stating that while India's economy will face a brunt, PM Modi said it was this responsibility to do this to save every Indian's life. Talking about how health experts stated that 21 days are necessary to ensure breaking the chain transmission, he said these 21 days were most crucial. Explaining the fallout for not handling the next three weeks as catastrophic, he said that 'India will be set back by 21 years if 21 days are not handled'.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: PM announces 21-day pan-India lockdown; COVID-19 cases cross 500

ICMR warns of community transmission

On Monday, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) published a study warning about community transmission of the pandemic in the coming few weeks. The study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research, states that by quarantining of individuals with symptoms of COVID-19 can delay the introduction of the virus into the community by three days to three weeks  - which in turn reduces cumulative cases by 62%  and the peak number of cases by 89%, in an optimistic scenario. In a pessimistic scenario, assuming that the asymptomatic cases are as infectious as the symptomatic ones, the study suggests that the projected impact falls at 2%.

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