PM Modi calls for 'vaccination utsav' to check Covid-19 spread on war footing

Modi emphasised on 'Test, Track, Treat', Covid-19-appropriate behaviour and Covid-19 management to contain the pandemic

As the second wave of Covid-19 epidemic surges ahead, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday appealed to the Chief Ministers for enhancing the tests manifold in order to fish out the hidden infections and proposed a special four-day long jab session next week to increase the vaccination coverage.

The Prime Minister did not say anything on the possibility of imposing a nation-wide lock down once again, but observed that despite a faster growth of the epidemic in many states in the second wave, India was better prepared with experience, resources and the vaccine.

Modi announced a special Covid-19 vaccination drive between April 11 and April 14 with a target of zero wastage to maximise the use of available stock. He also encouraged imposition of night curfew, which he said should be renamed as 'corona curfew.'

Though the Centre was in the loggerheads with several states, such as Maharashtra, on the shortage of Covid-19 vaccines, the Prime Minister skirted the controversial topic and told the states to give emphasis on micro-containment and testing to find out asymptomatic Covid-19 positive patients, who may be spreading the disease unwillingly.

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On vaccine supply, he said that the Centre would have to prioritise the use of the available vaccine doses, while the states would strive to reduce the vaccine wastage.

Earlier Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said the Centre had so far distributed 13.5 crore doses of the Covid-19 vaccines of which the states utilised 9.1 crore doses while 2.4 crore doses are in the stock. Another 1.9 crore doses are the pipeline and would reach the states soon.

The three states receiving the maximum amount of doses are Maharashtra (1.06,19,190 doses), Gujarat (1.05,19,330) and Rajasthan (1,04,95,860).

A day before Vardhan accused Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Delhi for not doing enough on vaccination while finding fault with Punjab, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Gujarat on testing, early identification of positive cases and prevention of mortality.

The Covid-19 epidemic is galloping in all of these states with the reporting of 1.26 lakh new cases 685 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Modi advised the states to improve testing infrastructure, enhance shifts in the diagnostic laboratories to handle additional samples and do away with lethargy while collecting the samples. The target would be to ensure that RT-PCR contains at least 70 per cent of the total test, which is not the case in 19 states at the moment.

Also Read | Covid-19 vaccine shortage threatens to slow India, world's fastest vaccinating nation

The Chief Ministers were advised to launch the vaccine festival ("tika utsav") between April 11 (birth anniversary of Jyotiba Phule) and April 14 (birth anniversary of Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar). Modi also suggested all party meetings to work out state-specific action plans.

Besides video conferencing with the elected representatives of the urban and local bodies, meetings with religious leaders, civil society organisations and celebrities have been advised. The aim would be to convey the importance of Covid-19 testing and vaccination, which are critical to win the battle with the sly virus.