‘Not a time to relax’, says PM Modi’s warning at Covid meet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with senior authorities from at least 40 districts on Wednesday to discuss the severe delay in adult Covid-19 immunisation. The Prime Minister praised healthcare workers for their dedication, but warned that now is not the time to rest.

“The progress made so far is due to your hard work. Every member of administration, ASHA workers worked a lot. They walked for miles and took vaccination to remote locations. But if we become lax after one billion (doses), a new crisis can come,” PM Modi said.

“They say one must never underestimate disease and enemies. They have to be fought against till the very end. So, I would want that we should not bring even a slight laxity,” he added.

The meeting was attended by several chief ministers. It was called to discuss situation with district magistrates (DMs) from districts where less than 50% of the adult population has received at least one shot of a Covid-19 vaccine, and also those ones that have very low second-dose number. The 40 districts are spread across Jharkhand, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Meghalaya, among other states, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

“In this biggest pandemic in 100 years, nation faced several challenges. A significant thing in nation’s fight against Corona was that we found out new solutions, used innovative methods,” he told the officials and he asked them to work on innovative methods to increase the vaccination rate in their respective areas.

“You will have to remember that the states that have achieved the goal of administering 100% first dose of vaccine, also faced different challenges in many areas. There were challenges of geographical situation, resources but these districts overcame those challenges to go ahead,” PM Modi said.

Further speaking, PM Modi also suggested officials to form different strategy each town and a village. He also asked them to constitute a team of 20-25 people in their areas to execute the door-to-door vaccination policy.

“We can also try to have a healthy competition in the teams you have formed,” he also suggested.

“So far you’ve been working to take people to vaccination centres, now it’s time to reach every house for door-to-door vaccine… You can take help of local religious leaders to spread awareness about Covid vaccines, fight rumours,” PM Modi told district officials.