Allow citizens above 25 to get vax, CM requests PM

Amid the spike in Covid-19 cases, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow people above 25 years of age to receive the vaccine

Amid the spike in Covid-19 cases, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow people above 25 years of age to receive the vaccine. In a letter to Modi, Thackeray said if a large number of the working population is vaccinated, “the intensity of the cases would be lower than the treatment that they need today.” Currently, those above 45 years of age are eligible for vaccination.

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A day after the Maharashtra government announced restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the state, Maharashtra on Monday recorded more than 40,000 cases with 47,288 new infections and 155 more deaths, taking the state’s tally to 3,057,885 and toll to 56,033.

Mumbai continued to be the highest contributor to the daily caseload with 9,879 new cases and 21 deaths on Monday.

The state has 451,375 active cases, with the highest in Pune (81,378) and Mumbai (73,281). In the past two days, Maharashtra has recorded 104,362 new cases, while Mumbai has recorded 21,085 cases.

Other cities like Pune, Nashik and Nagpur also recorded 4,250, 2,647 and 2,556 new Covid-19 cases on Monday.

Meanwhile, the state government on Monday issued a new notification, putting some more services such as petrol pumps, fruit vendors, government and private security agencies in its list of essential services. Also, people coming from or going to the airport or railway terminus for outstation travel are exempted from night curfew. They have also been exempted from the weekend lockdown, provided they are carrying a valid ticket. Lawyers’ offices have also been exempted from closure. Similarly domestic helps/drivers and cooks can work in the day. With regards to them working after 8pm or on weekends, local authorities will decide the same. Students appearing physically for exams would be allowed to travel in the night curfew or weekends, provided they are carrying valid hall tickets. Wine shops will be closed, so liquor will be available in bars and restaurants through parcels. Further, the BMC issued a circular due to which visitors will now not be allowed to enter BMC headquarters and ward offices unless for some emergency. According to the circular, visitors will also be issued a pass, including contractors, consultant and other vendors, in case they can show their negative report. According to officials, all restrictions announced by the state will be implemented in the city, however, on certain issues, the BMC is expected to issue a clarification by Tuesday.

Earlier, Thackeray, in his letter to Modi, also requested for additional vaccine doses for six districts facing a surge.

He wrote, “Maharashtra has also requested for additional doses so that six districts facing the surge of Covid can be covered on priority and in greater speed. Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nashik, Nagpur and Aurangabad can be covered in a matter of three weeks, for the population of above 45, if 1.5 crore doses are made available to the state by the government of India.”

He also stated that Maharashtra is the number one state in the country in terms of number of doses administered. “As of Sunday, 4th April 2021, we have administered 76.86 lakh doses of Covid vaccine, which is highest in the country,” Thackeray wrote. He also apprised Modi of the “break the chain” initiative taken by the state government to curb the spread. The state government Sunday issued directives for a partial lockdown in the state from 8pm on Monday to April 30, owing to the alarming increase in cases. Besides a complete lockdown on weekends, a strict night curfew of 11 hours, and prohibition of gatherings of more than five people during the day, the state announced shutting down of shops and establishments dealing in non-essential commodities, restaurants, eateries, malls, theatres, multiplexes, and religious places.

However, the decision is being opposed by many shop-owners in the city. Viren Shah from the federation of retail traders welfare association said that the members had detailed discussion on Monday regarding the notification. “We oppose the decision of closing down non-essential shops without any subsidy being offered. Our representatives will be meeting all government authorities to register our protest in the next few days,” Shah said.

However, experts said the health infrastructure in the state is already burdened and the measures will help contain the spread. Dr Shashank Joshi, a member of the state-appointed task force, said that the directives should help in improving the situation in the next two-four weeks. However, it depends upon enforcement of the guidelines at the local level and co-operation by citizens.

“There is still a large invisible pool of suspected and asymptomatic Covid patients in the state. These measures are to identify these patients and ensure micro-containment so they do not become super-spreaders. Our health infrastructure is already burdened. People have to co-operate by following appropriate Covid behaviour,” Dr Joshi said.

Meanwhile, the state government has issued a new notification, putting some more services as essential — petrol pumps, data centers, fruit vendors etc. Also, the people coming or going to airport or railway stations for outstation travel, too, are exempted from the night curfew.

Moreover, the Central government has constituted 50 high level multi-disciplinary public health teams, highest so far, to be deployed to 50 districts across Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Punjab owing to the ‘recent very large numbers of daily new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases and daily mortality being consistently reported by these States’. “The teams are being rushed to 30 districts of Maharashtra, 11 districts of Chhattisgarh and 9 districts of Punjab to assist the State Health Department and local authorities,” said Union health ministry in a statement issued on Monday.

The teams are ordered to reach their respective allotted states latest by April 7, and before that the centre has also scheduled an orientation session on April 6. Kunak Kumar, ministry of housing and urban affairs is the nodal officer for Maharashtra. (inputs from Naresh Kamath, Rhythma Kaul

and Mehul Thakkar)