Indian-American doctors urge Indians to strictly adhere to coronavirus lockdown

The influential Indian-American doctors on Wednesday appealed to the people of India to strictly adhere to the three-week nationwide lockdown, asserting that this is the key to saving lives from the deadly coronavirus crisis, which poses a serious threat to humanity.

"Please allow healthcare workers and administrators to do their job and don't interfere or deviate from this by going out of home, said American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) of Queens and Long Island in New York in an open appeal to the people of India.

Coming from New York, which is COVID-19 hotspot in the US, AAPI doctors came out in support of the three-week nationwide lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week.

"Pandemic of COVID-19/coronavirus is a serious threat to humanity. Protecting ourselves and protecting everyone around us is our prime responsibility. When crisis is extremely serious, decisions are equally difficult, the open letter said.

Signed by AAPI Long Island and Queens, New York president Dr Rajendra Bhayani, the letter acknowledged that this is not easy for common citizens during lockdown as it will affect livelihood, finances and have psychosocial effects and hardship on entire society.

"There is nothing more sacred and precious than saving a life, he said.

"For a country like ours with so many people we must come together and do whatever it takes to implement this lockdown and do our own karma by staying home and staying healthy, the open letter said.