COVID-19: More challenges in way after lockdown easing, need to be vigilant, says Niti member

Niti Aayog member V K Paul on Tuesday said India has limited the spread of COVID-19 and also the mortality rate from it, but cautioned that challenges have increased with loosening of lockdown provisions.

Paul, in a virtual interaction with Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant on the topic of 'Self Care of Elderly During COVID-19' pointed out that "herd immunity is something that would happen to all of us, but we cannot have free run for the virus".

"We are passing through difficult times in theCOVID-19pandemic. We have limited the spread of coronavirus. We have also limited the number of deaths in our country," he claimed.

On curbs being relaxed despite rise in the number of virus cases, Paul said the government is "mindful of the fact that when we are loosening provisions of the lockdown and movingtowards more normal life, the challenges have become even more... The virus is around us."
On the way forward for the country in its fight against the crisis, Paul said, "We should protect ourselves with the extent possible, keep the pandemic under such a control level that morbidities and sickness volume that comes up is eminently manageable by the heath system, across the country and we can not allow this pandemic to go out of control."