Tag: Lockdown

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COVID-19 India News

TN under tightened lockdown from Monday

TN under tightened lockdown

Current lockdown will be extended from May 24 early morning for a week…reports Asian Lite News

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K.Stalin on Saturday announced lockdown for a week starting from May 24 further tightening some of the relaxations to break the chain of coronavirus infection.

In a statement issued here after a meeting of law makers belonging to all parties, Stalin said the current lockdown will be extended from May 24 early morning for a week.

According to him the following services are exempted from the lockdown from May 24:

-Pharmacies — allopathy, traditional medicines and veterinary

-Milk/water/newspaper supplies

Swab test done by the Chennai Corporation as there is a gradual increase in the COVID positive cases in Tamilnadu

-Vegetables and fruits to be supplied by horticulture department through vehicles to people here and in districts

-Essential departments at the State Secretariat and District Headquarters

-Employees in private sector, banks, insurance companies are requested to work from home

ALSO READ: Finally, son rise in Tamil Nadu

-E-Commerce companies can function between 8 a.m to 6 p.m.

-Only takeaways from hotels/restaurants can function between 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. 12 noon to 3 p.m and 6 p.m to 9 p.m. Food delivery companies like Swiggy and Zomato can deliver only during the above period

New Delhi: Health workers collect swab samples for Covid-19 testing at a testing center in New Delhi on Friday, May 07, 2021. (Photo: Wasim Sarvar/ IANS)

-Fuel outlets will function

-ATM services will be allowed

-Trucks carrying agri produce, farm inputs and essential items will be allowed

-Inter district travel for medical reasons and death allowed with e-registration

-Intra district travel for medical reasons are allowed without e-registration

-Media allowed to function

-Continuous process industries and industries manufacturing essential commodities and medical equipments are allowed to operate

However the government is silent on the operation of grocery and provision shops during the lockdown.

ALSO READ: Stalin era begins in Tamil Nadu


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-Top News COVID-19 UK News

UK lockdown easing at risk over variant threat

Prime Minister Boris Johnson (Pic Andrew Parsons No 10, Downing Street)

The health authorities have reduced the wait between Covid-19 jabs from 12 weeks to eight for the over-50s and clinically vulnerable over the new variant threat prevailing in the country, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that the Indian Covid variant could pose “serious disruption” to lockdown easing in England on 21 June.

Johnson said if it was found to be “significantly” more transmissible there could be “some hard choices”, the BBC reported.

Meanwhile, the health authorities have cut short the wait between jabs from 12 weeks to eight for the over-50s and clinically vulnerable over the new variant threat prevailing in the country.

Also Read – Pfizer-BioNTech vax very effective against UK, SA variants’

According to Public Health England figures, cases of the Indian Covid variant have nearly tripled in the past week.

Johnson said he did not believe that the “present evidence” showed a need to delay the next stage in the easing of lockdown in England on Monday – when pubs and restaurants will be allowed to serve customers indoors and six people or two households can meet in private home.

variant
Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty during a press conference. (Picture by Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street)

 “I have to level with you that this new variant could pose a serious disruption to our progress and could make it more difficult to move to step four in June,” BBC quoted Johnson as saying.

“But I urge everyone to exercise the greatest caution because the choices we each make in the coming days will have a material effect on the road ahead,” he added.

The 21 June reopening is depended on government’s four tests being met – including that vaccines continue to be effective and the risks are not fundamentally changed by new variants.

Also Read – EU nations urged to halt travel from India

Meanwhile, another 2,193 people have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,446,824, according to official figures released on Friday.

The country also reported another 17 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 127,668. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

A man wearing a face mask cycles past the Francis Crick Institute Vaccination Centre in London,UK , Britain, March 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Han Yan/IANS)

England’s coronavirus reproduction number, known as the R number, has increased slightly to between 0.8 and 1.1, up from between 0.8 and one last week, according to the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE).

It means that on average every 10 people infected will infect between eight and 11 others, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The latest growth rate range for the pandemic in England is estimated at minus 3 per cent to 1 per cent, according to official figures.

Also Read – Bharat Biotech ready to share Covaxin formula

“This does not necessarily mean R is definitively above one and that the epidemic is increasing, but that the uncertainty means it cannot be ruled out,” said SAGE. If the R number is above one, it means the number of cases will increase exponentially.

Four people in Britain have died with the coronavirus variant first detected in India, according to official data released Friday.

These are the first known domestic deaths from the new variant of the virus, now designated a “variant of concern”.

Public Health England (PHE) said cases of the variant known as B1617.2 in Britain have more than doubled to 1,313, up from 520 cases recorded by the PHE last week.

People are seen at an NHS COVID-19 vaccination center in London, Britain, on March 4, 2021. (Xinhua/Han Yan)

Scientists have raised concerns that the current vaccines may be less effective against the new variant, but the British Department of Health and Social Care said there was “no firm evidence yet to show this variant has any greater impact on severity of disease or evades the vaccine”.

According to the latest official figures, more than 36.1 million people in Britain have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine.

Experts have warned that despite progress in vaccine rollout, Britain is “still not out of the woods” amid concerns over new variants, particularly those first emerged in South Africa, Brazil and India, and the third wave of pandemic on the European continent.

To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Russia, the US as well as the European Union have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines.

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-Top News EU News Europe

Belgium unveils ‘summer plan’ to ease Covid curbs

The European Union (EU) has decided to gradually lift travel restrictions on people entering the bloc from Israel…reports Asian Lite News.

Belgium will relax coronavirus lockdown measures on June 9 after a gradual “summer plan” was introduced by the Consultative Committee, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said at a press conference.

The “summer plan” will depend on the progress of the vaccination campaign and provided the number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care units remains under 500, De Croo said.

“Four out of 10 adult Belgians have already received their first vaccine dose. And the campaign will also accelerate,” he said.

On Saturday, bars and restaurants re-opened for the first time in months, allowing groups of four people per table to sit outside, the Xinhua news agency reported.

From June 9, cinemas, gyms and theatres will reopen their doors, as well as large events with a maximum of 200 people inside. This is also the case for the indoor areas of zoos and amusement parks.

To date, Belgium has recorded a total of 1,017,876 Covid-19 cases and 24,583 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

As the world is struggling to contain the pandemic, vaccination is underway in an increasing number of countries with already-authorized coronavirus vaccines.

Meanwhile, 280 candidate vaccines — including 97 in clinical trials — are being developed worldwide, including in Germany, Britain, China, the US, and Russia, according to data provided by the World Health Organization on May 7.

The European Union (EU) has decided to gradually lift travel restrictions on people entering the bloc from Israel.

So far, people coming from Israel are only to be allowed to enter the EU if their reasons for travelling are deemed essential, although some countries, for example Greece, have already opened their borders to vaccinated travellers from the Jewish state, reports dpa news agency.

This means that the EU recommends allowing non-essential travel from seven countries, namely Australia, Israel, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.

The bloc also recommends allowing Chinese citizens in, but this is subject to confirmation of reciprocity.


At the outset of the pandemic, all EU countries except the Republic of Ireland, and non-members Switzerland, Norway, Lichtenstein and Iceland, banned all but essential travel.

The ban was slightly eased in early July last year, but the epidemiological situation in only a handful of countries was deemed good enough to allow people to travel from there to the bloc.

Exceptions apply to EU residents and their families travelling from countries whose citizens are not yet allowed to re-enter.

ALSO READ-Belgium tightens measures to curb Covid 19

READ MORE-Biden to visit UK, Belgium in June

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India News Kerala

Vehicular movement plummets at Kerala-TN borders

At the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border in Coimbatore district, revenue and police officials at the Walayar checkpost have been joined by Health Department officials….reports Asian Lite News

With lockdowns announced in neighbouring Kerala and Karnataka too, vehicular movement in Tamil Nadu’s border areas has come down.

At the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border in Coimbatore district, revenue and police officials at the Walayar checkpost have been joined by Health Department officials.

Officials said that the vehicular traffic is very low as due to the lockdown in both states, an e-pass is mandatory for interstate travel. Goods vehicles with essential commodities as well as vehicles with medicines are allowed.

Talking to IANS, Tamil Nadu Police officer M.Ranganathan, on duty at Walayar, said: “We have allowed vehicles moving for essential services as well as medical emergencies. Also goods vehicles were given permission.”

Walayar
ALSO READ: Active Covid cases in Kerala expected to touch 6 lakh

In Valparai in Coimbatore, officials are allowing agriculture workers to cross the borders. Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vivekanandan told IANS that they allowed agriculture workers to go for work “as there is a regular movement of workers though this border town”.

Tamil Nadu’s borders with Puducherry were sealed in Villupuram, Cuddalore, and Kallakurichi.

At Cuddalore alone, 1500 police personnel are deployed to prevent the movement of inter-state vehicles and people. Police have also made several announcements asking people not to venture out of their homes.

At the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border at Kaliyakkavilai, police have tightened vigil as there is a possibility of people crossing the border as friends and relatives are living across. Also several people from Kerala come to Tamil Nadu to buy things, but with the lockdown in force, this is also curtailed.

Mini truck driver P.R. Balakrishnan said: “I regularly go to Tamil Nadu to buy goods as we get a large variety and the price is less compared to within Kerala. After TN declared a lockdown from Monday, I did not venture out and am now at my village in Kerala. Why travel unnecessarily?”

ALSO READ:Kerala ‘Iron Lady’ Gouri Amma Passes Away
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-Top News Asia News COVID-19

Pak imposes 10-day nationwide lockdown

Pak imposes 10-day nationwide lockdown 

The Pakistan government has already declared May 8 to 15 as Eid holidays and now there will be a complete ban on unnecessary movement of people…reports Asian Lite News

In order to curb the rising number of coronavirus infections, authorities in Pakistan are imposing complete countrywide lockdown from May 8 for the next 10 days, Gulf News reported.

The Pakistan government has already declared May 8 to 15 as Eid holidays and now there will be a complete ban on unnecessary movement of people and gathering of any kind at any place during these 10 days of lockdown.

Pakistan reported 120 more deaths from coronavirus, taking the national death toll to 18,797 on Saturday, Geo News reported citing the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

People walk at a market in eastern Pakistan’s Rawalpindi

About 4,109 more people contracted the infection, increasing the total caseload to 854,240 nationwide.

Pakistan’s Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan has cautioned that COVID-19 cases might rise again if precautions are not taken during “this ‘critical period’ when we are seeing the last days of the month of Ramadan while Eid is fast approaching,” reported Gulf News.

He also said that there were some ‘initial signs of stability’ in the third wave of Covid-19 in Pakistan. However, he emphasised it was also a ‘very risky period’ as we see during this period a kind of shopping frenzy.

“We are today in the midst of the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic,” he said adding the public alone could make the battle against the virus successful by strictly following COVID-19 SOPs. (ANI)

Also read:Poverty in Pakistan linked to rising cases of child marriage

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COVID-19 India News

Two-week lockdown in TN from tomorrow

Tea shops to be closed at 12 noon. Ban on cultural/political/educational functions in indoor auditoriums and outdoors. Only 20 persons allowed at funerals. Not more than 50 persons allowed in weddings. Closure of barber shops, beauty parlours, spas, saloon….reports Asian Lite News.

A day after he and his council of Ministers were sworn in, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday announced total lockdown in Tamil Nadu, from May 10-24 to prevent spread of coronavirus, while exempting essential services.

He also said with the impending two week lockdown from Monday onwards all shops and establishments are allowed to function from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

In a statement issued here Stalin said the two week lockdown is announced to intensify actions to prevent the spread of coronavirus and due to unavoidable reasons.

Stalin said the lockdown will kick in from 4 a.m. on May 8 to 4 a.m. on May 24.

According to Stalin liquor shops will also be closed.

The banned and permissible activities during the lockdown are:

-International flights are banned other than which are permitted by the Union Home Ministry. E-registion on https://eregister.tnega.org must for people coming to Tamil Nadu from other Indian states and overseas. Train and flight passengers will be allowed to move on production of tickets.

Only standalone shops selling groceries, vegetables, meat and fish will be allowed to function till 12 noon without air conditioning. Other than above shops, all other shops are to be closed. Dunzo like delivery organisations can deliver vegetabls/provisions/grocery/meat/fish only till 12 noon. Big format stores (over 3,000 sq.ft) and shopping malls are to be closed.

State owned liquor shops to be closed. Only takeaways permitted at hotels and restaurants and not dine-in. Hotels and lodges to serve food to their guests staying for commercial and medical purposes in their rooms. Otherwise hotels and lodges to remain closed.

Tea shops to be closed at 12 noon. Ban on cultural/political/educational functions in indoor auditoriums and outdoors. Only 20 persons allowed at funerals. Not more than 50 persons allowed in weddings. Closure of barber shops, beauty parlours, spas, saloon.

Closure of recreation clubs, movie theatres, liquor bars, auditoriums, meeting halls, amusement parks and other places where there will be large gatherings of people. Ban on retail sales of fruits and vegetables at Koyambedu Market in Chennai. Similarly ban on retail sales of fruits and vegetables in wholesale markets in other places in the state.

State government departments other than Secretariat, Fire Service, Police, Revenue, Disaster Management, Medical, Prisons, Electricity, Water Supply, Treasury, Local Bodies, Social Welfare, Womens Welfare- will remain closed. These restrictions are applicable for central government departments as well.

Other than exempted industries all others, information technology (IT) and information technology enabled services (ITES) units will remain closed. Work-from-home is permitted. Closure of places of worship for the public, but daily poojas permitted by the temple staff.

Complete lockdown

Ban on all tourists to Nilgris, Kodaikanal, Yercaud and other places. People are not allowed to go to the beach across the state. Parks, museums, archaeological sites closed to the public. Schools, Universities, Colleges and summer camps are banned. Sports training academies are to be closed.

Intra-district and inter-district government/private bus, taxi, autorickshaw service banned except for those travelling to attend weddings, job interviews and to hospitals with proper proof. No permission to operate for food and grocery/provisions/vegetable delivery companies like Zomato, Swiggy.

Essential services like the delivery of milk, newspaper, courier service, hospitals, medical diagnostic labs, ambulance and hearse services are allowed.

Vehicles carrying goods, oil, agricultural produce, oxygen trucks are allowed. Shops selling cattle feed, pesticides and fertilisers are allowed to function between 6 a.m and 12 noon. On the days during total lockdown (Sundays) hotels, restaurants can be open between 6-10 a.m., 12 noon to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Food delivery companies like Swiggy and Zomato can function only during this period.

Amma canteens will function as usual. Pavement shops selling vegetables and flowers can function till 12 noon. Ration shops to function between 8 a.m. and 12 noon. On going construction activities will be permitted.

Organisations serving old/handicapped people can move around with identity proof. Media activities are permitted. Continuous process industries and industries manufacturing essential items are allowed to function.

Banking, postal services, data centres maintenance are allowed. Warehouse operations to load and unload goods allowed. Petrol, diesel vending outlets can function. Banks, insurance companies, ATM transport services are allowed with 50 per cent employees.

Also Read-Stalin Discusses Political Situation With Sonia

Read More-Stalin To Begin One Month State Tour

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COVID-19 India News Punjab

Amarinder rules out complete lockdown in Punjab

He also announced a series of relaxations and relief measures to alleviate the woes of various sections of the people amid the prolonged crisis….reports Asian Lite News

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday again ruled out a complete lockdown, noting that the restrictions currently in place were more stringent than the lockdown conditions in many other states.

He also announced a series of relaxations and relief measures to alleviate the woes of various sections of the people amid the prolonged crisis.

The relaxations include phased opening of shops and various incentives for the housing sector, including three-month extension in permission period of construction of plots and projects for allotments, whether private or allotted, by state urban development authorities.

Amid spiralling Covid cases, the Chief Minister ordered limiting of the number of teachers in government schools to 50 per cent, with the rest taking online classes from home.

He also directed the Food Department to prepare 500,000 additional food packets for distribution among Covid patients, to ensure that every patient individually gets a packet even where there are more than one patient in a family.

The state government has also announced additional 10 kg atta for 1.41 crore Smart Ration Card beneficiaries. The food aid is in addition to the 100,000 lakh food kits, containing 10 kg atta, 2 kg chana and 2 kg sugar already sanctioned for all poor people testing positive with Covid.

It is also additional to the food aid announced by the Centre.

Virtually chairing a Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister compared the Punjab restrictions with the curbs in place in states like Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala, among others, and pointed out that it was not necessary to impose a total lockdown.

The Chief Minister said to meet immediate and urgent needs of the people at the local level, it had been decided by the government to authorise sarpanches to spend up to Rs 5,000 per day, subject to a maximum of Rs 50,000, out of panchayat funds for providing emergency relief by way of food and medicines to the poor and needy in the villages.

All urban local bodies have also been empowered to provide emergency relief, including food and medicines to the poor and needy, from the municipal fund.

Also read:Amandeep Singh : Punjabi music is making waves

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-Top News COVID-19 India News

Complete lockdown in Rajasthan from May 10 to 24

Complete lockdown in Rajasthan from May 10 to 24

Under the new guidelines announced on Thursday night, marriages shall remain cancelled till May 31…reports Asian Lite News

 The Rajasthan government on Thursday announced a complete lockdown from 5 a.m. on May 10 to 5 a.m. on May 24 amid the surge in coronavirus cases.

Under the new guidelines announced on Thursday night, marriages shall remain cancelled till May 31. ‘Band, baja, baraat’ and DJ services will remain suspended till the said date except for court marriages and weddings at home with 11 guests only.

Marriage gardens and wedding venues shall remain closed and their owners will have to return the funds deposited in advance for the same.

A small town in Rajasthan fights corona together with ‘medical at your doorstep’ model

MNREGS projects shall remain suspended. All religious places shall remain closed as well. Travelling within the state will remain suspended in the lockdown period. Those coming from other states need to submit RT-PCR report not older than 72 hours of their travel.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced the lockdown while chairing a cabinet meeting via video conferencing and expressing his worry on Covid spreading to rural areas and infecting youths.

On Thursday, a total of 17,532 new cases and 160 deaths were reported across the state.

Also read:Rajasthan betting hub predicts BJP victory in WB

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-Top News India News Kerala

Kerala locks down till May 16

Minister for Transport A.K. Saseendran confirmed that the state had no other option but to go for total lockdown given the surge….reports Asian Lite News

On expected lines with the Covid positive cases continuing its surge like never before, the office of the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday announced a total lockdown from Saturday till May 16.

Minister for Transport A.K. Saseendran confirmed that the state had no other option but to go for total lockdown given the surge.

“This is the only way out and it will only benefit all of us. So all have to abide by it and stay home,” said Saseendran.

President of the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association, Vijayakrishnan said there is no way out other than for strict lockdown.

The IMA State wing also had wanted tough protocols, but an all party meeting held last week however decided to wait and was against declaring a total lockdown.

“This lockdown is different from the one which we had the last year as then the number of cases was very less, but the situation now is grave as the numbers are going high by the day. This lockdown will certainly help us bring down the new cases,” said Vijayakrishnan.

Vijayan on Wednesday expressed grave concern over the spike in cases and said 41,953 people turned Covid positive after 1,63,321 samples were tested in the past 24 hours.

The TPR on Wednesday stood at 25.68 per cent and the total number of active positive cases in the state stood at 3,75,658, while 23,106 people were cured taking the total cured to 13,62,363.

Since the end of last month as a first step, Saturdays and Sundays were like a partial lockdown and from Tuesday onwards such a condition was extended, when on Thursday the new decision came for a total lockdown.

Also read:Vijayan asks pvt hospitals to reserve 25% beds for Covid patients

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-Top News India News USA

Shutdown for a few weeks, will help India fight Covid-19, says Dr Fauci

Washington, Sept. 23, 2020 (Xinhua) -- Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, testifies during a hearing of U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Sept. 23, 2020. Anthony Fauci attended the hearing on Wednesday and warned of the long-term effects that disease might have on those infected. (Graeme Jennings/Pool via Xinhua/IANS)

India’s total tally of Covid-19 cases now stands at 1,95,57,457, the highest since the pandemic started in 2020, with 33,49,644 active cases and 2,15,542 deaths so far…reports Asian Lite News.

As India recorded 3,92,488 new Covid-19 cases and 3,689 fatalities, Dr Anthony S Fauci, one of Covid’s most trusted global voices said no nation likes to lock itself down but a shutdown for a “few weeks” could put an end to the cycle of transmission in India. He said the move will provide a window to take critical “immediate, intermediate, and long range” steps out of this “very difficult and desperate” situation.

Minister of Health Dr. Harsh Vardhan visits the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to review the COVID-19 preparedness, in New Delhi (PIB)

It is the 11th day in a row when India recorded more than 3 lakh cases while over 3,000 casualties have been reported for the past five days.

Speaking to Indian Express, Dr Fauci said, “The one thing I don’t want to do and I hope it doesn’t turn out this way, is to get involved in any sort of criticism of how India has handled the situation because then it becomes a political issue and I don’t want to do that since I’m a public health person and I’m not a political person.”

India’s total tally of Covid-19 cases now stands at 1,95,57,457, the highest since the pandemic started in 2020, with 33,49,644 active cases and 2,15,542 deaths so far.

(Pallav)

“I mean, first of all, I don’t know if India has put together a crisis group that would meet and start getting things organised. I heard from some of the people in the street bringing their mothers and their fathers and their sisters and their brothers searching for oxygen. They seem to think there really was not any organisation, any central organisation,” Dr Fauci said.

According to MoHFW, 3,07,865 people have been discharged in the last 24 hours after getting cured, taking the total recoveries to 1,59,92,271.

“For example, vaccinating people right now, which you absolutely must, must do — it’s essential — is not going to alleviate the immediate problem of people needing oxygen, needing hospitalisation, needing medical care. That’s not going to fix it now because vaccinating people today, it’s going to be a few weeks before you alleviate the prevention of other people getting sick,” Dr Fauci said.

The health ministry said that a total of 15,68,16,031 people have been vaccinated so far in the country, including 18,26,219 people administered vaccines in the last 24 hours.

“Then the intermediate. I think you need — what the Chinese did when they had a crisis, you might recall, literally, within a few days to weeks they built these emergency units that served as hospitals to take care of people. It was an accomplishment that everybody marvelled at. It just seems to me, what I was viewing on television, what people were looking for a desperate need for hospital and care. That’s the first thing,” Dr Fauci added.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 29,01,42,339 samples have been tested up to May 1, 2021 for Covid-19, of these 18,04,954 samples were tested on Saturday.

“And, finally, in the longer range, in a matter of a couple weeks, I would do whatever you can do to get vaccinated. To have a country like India, where two per cent of people are vaccinated, is a very serious situation. You absolutely have to get more people vaccinated,” he added.

Also Read-India’s ‘Shooter Dadi’ dies of Covid 19

Read More-Covid infections in UK drop to late Summer levels