Prime Minister Narendra Modi, making a request to the public to stay indoors as much as possible, called for a ‘Janata curfew’ on Sunday. He requested all citizens to avoid venturing out from 7am to 9pm on March 22. “This Sunday, all citizens must follow this curfew from 7am until 9pm. During this curfew, we shall neither leave our homes, nor get onto the streets and refrain from roaming about in our societies or areas. Only those associated with emergency and essential services may leave their homes," Modi said, adding that the curfew will be a litmus test to show how much India is ready to take on the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic.
"Even World War I and II did not affect as many countries as coronavirus has done," PM Modi said. “Sacrifice some weeks of yours, some time of yours,” he said, given that coronavirus has no cure yet, the only way to stay safe is to stay indoors. "I request all people in country to get out of house only when it is extremely necessary, try and do all work from home."
India had reported its fourth coronavirus casualty on Thursday; the total number of cases is now 173. Almost 54 cases were reported in the past two days. The total number of COVID-19 cases in the state of Maharashtra has touched 48. The break-up of the patients who have been found to be COVID-19 positive as on March 19 is: Pimpri Chinchwad (11), Pune (8), Mumbai (9), Nagpur (4), 3 each in Yawatmal, Navi Mumbai and Kalyan. 2 positive cases in Ahmednagar while one positive case each in Raigad, thane, Ulhasnagar, Aurangabad and Ratnagiri.The most recent casualty was an elderly person from Punjab with co-morbid conditions like diabetes, cardiac ailments. Most of the states in the country have imposed restrictions, now inching towards a partial shutdown.
So, what are the most recent measures the Centre has adopted to stem the spread, and created awareness, of the prevailing pandemic?
Complete international aircraft shutdown
The Centre banned all international flights from the country for one week from Sunday. “No scheduled international commercial passenger aircraft shall be allowed to land in India from March 22, 2020, for one week,” the government said in a statement. “As such, no incoming scheduled international commercial passenger aircraft shall be allowed to disembark its passengers on Indian soil.”
Spreading awareness:
The Centre has released a comic book on the coronavirus, aiming to spread awareness of COVID-19 among children. Titled ‘Kids, Vaayu and Corona’, it starts off with a story of young children summoning the superhero Vaayu after their parents don’t have time to explain what coronavirus is to them. Vaayu then dispenses sage advice like washing hands properly, maintaining a social distance, covering your mouth while coughing and sneezing and greeting traditionally (for Muslims, Hindus, Christians and Sikhs), and immediately approaching a doctor in case of any sickness.
Advisory on social distancing
The Centre has also released a 15-point social distancing measure advisory, suggesting the steps to be taken to avoid/decrease contact between those who are infected with the disease causing pathogen and those who are not, so as to stop or slow down the rate and extent of disease transmission in a community, leading to eventual decease of spread, morbidity and mortality due to the disease. These measures shall be in force till March 31.
The proposed interventions include:
Closure of all educational establishments (schools, universities etc.), gyms, museums, cultural and social centres, swimming polls and theatres. Students should be advised to stay at home. Online education to be promoted.
Possibility of postponing exams may be explored. Ongoing exams to be conducted only after ensuring physical distance of one metre amongst students.
Encourage private sector organisations/employers to allow employees to work from home wherever feasible.
Meetings, as far as feasible, shall be done through video conference. Minimise or reschedule meetings involving large number of people unless necessary.
Restaurants to ensure hand-washing protocol and proper cleanliness of frequently touched surfaces. Ensure physical distancing (minimum one metre) between tables, encourage open air seating where practical with adequate distancing.
Keep already planned weddings to a limited gathering, postpone all non-essential social and cultural gatherings.
Local authorities to have a dialogue with organisers of sporting events and competitions involving large gatherings and they may be advised to postpone such events.
Local authorities to have a dialogue with opinion leaders and religious leaders to regulate mass gatherings ad should ensure no overcrowding
Local authorities to have meeting with traders associations and other stakeholders to regulate hours, exhibit Do's and Don'ts and take up communication drive in marker places, bus depots, railway stations, post-offices etc. where essential services are provided.
Instructions for home quarantine:
According to Central government instructions, a home quarantined person should:
Stay in a well-ventilated single-room preferably with an attached/separate toilet.
If another family member needs to stay in the same room, it’s advisable to maintain a distance of at least 1 meter between the two.
Needs to stay away from elderly people, pregnant women, children and persons with co-morbidities within the household.
Restrict his/her movement within the house.
Under no circumstances attend any social/religious gathering e.g. wedding, condolences, etc. He should also follow the under mentioned public health measures at all times:
Wash hand as often thoroughly with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Avoid sharing household items e.g. dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, bedding, or other items with other people at home.
Wear a surgical mask at all the time. The mask should be changed every 6-8 hours and disposed off. Disposable masks are never to be reused.
If symptoms appear (cough/fever/difficulty in breathing), he/she should immediately inform the nearest health centre or call 011-23978046.
For Central government offices
For the Central government offices, an advisory has been released on how to battle the virus. Among the numerous measures:
Install thermal scanners at the entry of Government buildings, as feasible.
Mandatory placing of hand sanitizers at the entry of Government buildings.
Those found having flu-like symptoms may be advised to take proper treatment/quarantine etc.
Discourage, to the maximum extent, entry of visitors in the office complex. Routine issue of visitors/temporary passes should be suspended with immediate effect. Only those visitors whom have proper permission of the officer who they want to meet, should be allowed after being properly screened.
Meetings, as far as feasible, should be done through video conferencing. To minimize or reschedule meetings involving large number of people unless necessary.
Avoid non-essential official travel.
Undertake essential correspondence on official email and avoid sending files and documents to other offices, to the extent possible.
(With inputs from Pooja Biraia Jaiswal)
