PM Narendra Modi On Coronavirus Crisis: Lockdown Should Be Last Resort, PM Tells States In Address To Nation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 20 said the second wave of the coronavirus had hit India like a storm but appealed to states to use lockdowns only as the last resort. He also stressed on self-discipline to fight the infection, urging people to step out only if necessary. Listing his government's efforts to ensure enough oxygen, beds & vaccine, PM Modi said there was "no question of a lockdown" if citizens, especially younger people, came forward & helped check the spread of Covid-19. PM Modi referred to the Ram Navami & Ramzan festivals to underscore his message. He likened the second, more deadly wave of the pandemic in India with a storm. Hours before he spoke, the shortage of oxygen in top hospitals added a new layer to the Covid-19 crisis in several states. In Delhi, a few private hospitals said they only had oxygen for a few more hours. PM Modi said efforts are on to increase the bed capacity in states. He also spoke about the vaccination drive in the country. India on April 20 reported 1,761 Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, the most since the pandemic broke out. The total number of cases now stands at more than 1.53 crore. India is second only to the United States in the total number of cases reported since the beginning of the pandemic.