Dr. Balram Bhargava, Head of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) claims that in every district of the nation where the test-positivity rate does not fall below 10% must maintain lockdown restrictions.
India has 718 districts and about three-fourths of them have test-positivity rate more than 10%. Major cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru have rate above the threshold.
These comments by Dr. Bhargava are the first public endorsement of lockdowns as a measure to contain the spread of the pandemic by a senior government official.
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While PM Modi is resisting a nation-wide lockdown with the advice to state CMs to consider state-wide lockdown only as a last resort, most of the states have chosen to implement full or partial lockdown.
Implemented on a weekly or fortnightly basis, these are expected to continue if the COVID situation in a state does not improve.
Talking about the national capital Delhi, which has a test-positivity rate of 17%, he said, "If Delhi is opened tomorrow, it will be a disaster."
The situation of India is grim with the nation witnessing about 3,50,000 new COVID infection cases and 4,000 deaths due to the same every day.
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Oxygen and medicine shortages are nightmares that almost every COVID patient is having to live day in and day out.
The last rites infrastructure is overwhelmed and there does not seem any light at the end of COVID second wave tunnel.
Pertinently, Modi government mismanaged COVID. Some instances include giving away vaccines to other nations and not forbidding a religious gathering (Kumbh Mela of Hindus) .
Regarding the issue of Modi government, the doctor did not criticize the government but had reservations about delay, "I think the only discontent we have was there was a slight delay accepting the 10% (recommendation), but that did happen."
The delay he is talking about is the National Task Force on COVID-19 recommending to the central government to lock down areas with a test-positivity rate of 10% of more.
The central government’s immense reluctance for a nation-wide lockdown is apparent from the Home (Interior) ministry asking states for strict restrictions for "large containment areas" in hard-hit districts for 14 days.
Regarding the mass gatherings at political rallies or religious functions, he claimed that same should not be acceptable in India or anywhere in the world, "It’s common sense."
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