"We have to learn to live with the virus," the government said on Friday, as Covid-19 cases in the country continued to spike amid the third phase of a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
With no vaccine or particular medicine available for the virus, the Union Health Ministry has put the focus on the population's behavioural change as an intermediate solution to combat coronavirus amid easing of lockdown restrictions and migrant labourers returning home.
Addressing a press conference, joint secretary in the health ministry Lav Agarwal said there has been a reduction in the doubling time of COVID-19 cases in the country from 12 days till two days ago to 10 now because of the spike in cases at some places. However, he asserted that the peak of the disease can be avoided if the prescribed dos and don’ts are followed.
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"As we talk of relaxations to the lockdown and of migrant workers returning back to their respective homes, there is a big challenge in front of us that we also have to learn to live with the virus,” he said.
“And when we are talking about learning to live with the virus then it is very important that the guidelines that are there on saving oneself from the virus are adopted in the community as a behavioural change," Agarwal said.
It is a big challenge and the government needs community support for it, he added.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also recently said people will have to be ready to live with the novel coronavirus and that time has come to re-open the city, as the government announced certain relaxations.
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Asked about AIIMS Delhi Director, Dr Randeep Guleria’s remarks citing modelling data that the peak of the disease in India may be reached in June or July, Agarwal said, “If we follow the prescribed dos and don'ts, we may not reach the peak in number of COVID-19 cases and our curve may remain flat.”
If the precautions are not taken and guidelines are not followed properly, there can be chances of spike in cases, he warned, stressing that community support and field action should continue so that the country does not reach the peak
Responding to a question on how many cases India may witness if the peak comes in June- July, the official said different organisations have projected a figure of some thousands to some crores based on their analysis.
Stating that some states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have witnessed a rise in cases during the last few days, Agarwal stressed the need to strengthen containment efforts to stop the rise, along with proper adherence to measures such as physical distancing at field level.
A total of 3,390 COVID-19 cases and 103 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours till Friday 8 am, taking the total number of cases to 56,342 and death toll to 1,886, according to the ministry.
Providing details on recovered patients, Agarwal said India’s recovery rate stands at 29.36 per cent with 16,540 COVID-19 patients having cured till now, including 1,273 who recovered in the last 24 hours.
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He said 3.2 per cent of total active COVID-19 cases are on oxygen support, 4.2 per cent in ICU and 1.1 per cent on ventilator.
(With PTI Inputs)
