Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took over a meeting with officials from Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh to review the Covid-19 situation in India.
Addressing the district officials of 10 states in a virtual meeting, PM Modi directed the state officials to ensure that rural India is Covid free. In his virtual address, PM Modi asked officials to spread awareness in rural districts so that the spread of Covid can be curtailed in villages.
PM Modi’s statement comes at a time of rising concerns regarding Covid outbreaks in villages, which often lack proper medical supplies or infrastructure.
In a virtual meeting with field officials and district magistrates from 10 states, PM Modi urged the state officials to ensure minimal wastage of Covid-19 vaccines as the country reels under a shortage of doses. There is an issue of vaccine wastage. PM Modi said even a single dose of wasted vaccine means that one person was deprived of protection against the disease.
Highlighting the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on daily lives, PM Modi said that maintaining ease of living was as important as saving lives for that the districts should ensure free rations for the poor, seamless supply of other vital items and the prevention of black marketing. He said all this is very important to win the war against the pandemic. PM Modi said that the fight against the pandemic requires constant innovation in strategies and policies.
In the meeting, PM Modi told the district officials that the strategy against Covid-19 must also be dynamic as the virus keeps mutating. The prime minister also alerted the district officials about the upcoming challenges with regards to Covid infection among kids.
Alerting the officials to be more prepared for the third wave which is expected to hit children, PM Modi said there have been more concerns about youngsters and kids due to coronavirus mutations. He also directed the district magistrates to collect data on Covid infection and its seriousness among youths and kids in their districts.