PM asks states to share Covid-19 strategy, focus on bringing positivity rate down: 10 points

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday interacted via video conferencing with chief ministers of states and union territories which are witnessing a surge in the cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). Union home minister Amit Shah, health minister Harsh Vardhan, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani joined the virtual meeting.

Here’s everything you need to know about PM Modi’s review meet on the Covid-19 situation:

1. Giving updates on the vaccine development, PM Modi said that the “government of India is keeping a track of each development in vaccine development. We are in touch with Indian vaccine developers and manufacturers. We are also in touch with global regulators, governments of other countries, multinational orgs and international companies.”

2. PM Modi urged all the chief ministers to share their feedback in writing on Covid-19 strategy. “No one can impose any view and all have to work together,” PM Modi said. He also cautioned states and union territories against any laxity in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

3. PM Modi advised all the chief ministers to focus on bringing the positivity rate below 5%. “Seeing good recovery rates, many think virus is weak & they’ll recover soon, this has led to rampant carelessness. Those working on vaccine are doing it but we need to focus on ensuring that people are alert & transmission is curbed. We’ve to bring positivity rate under 5%,” said PM Modi.

4. PM Modi urged all states to establish cold storage facilities for Covid- 19 vaccine and said that though a final plan cannot be charted yet, the states must start prepping for adequate delivery and storage facilities for Covid-19 vaccine.

5. Union home minister Amit Shah asked the chief ministers to draw a strategy to ensure mortality rate due to the viral disease comes down below 1% and the new cases must not exceed 5% of the existing level.

6. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal informed Prime minister Modi that the national capital, which is witnessing the third wave of Covid-19, saw a peak of 8,600 Covid-19 cases on November 10 after which the cases have been steadily declining. He also sought Modi’s intervention to come up with a solution to get rid of the pollution and reduce stubble burning.

7. Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray told the PM that the state has formed a task force to ensure distribution of the vaccine, adding that he is in touch with Adar Poonawala, CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII), which has partnered with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine against Covid-19.

8. Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that the state has been working on a strategy to make vaccines available.

9. Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani said the state will follow the vaccination plan formulated by the centre.

10. Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat urged the central government to make Haridwar Mahakumbh a priority in the Covid vaccination process.

According to the union health ministry, India saw 37,975 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day taking the country’s Covid-19 caseload to 91.77 lakh, while the recoveries crossed 86 lakh. The number of active cases remained below 5 lakh for the fourteenth consecutive day.