Health ministry backs unlocking, says lives important, livelihood too

As part of Unlock-4, state governments cannot impose any lockdowns outside containment zones without prior consultation with the central government

On Thursday, the day the country registered a record number of fresh coronavirus cases (nearly 84,000), the health ministry defended the government's decision to unlock many more businesses and public transport, saying that “lives are important but so is livelihood”. 

Earlier, when various government departments were batting for opening up and allowing movement of people, citing economic concerns, the health ministry was all for extending the lockdown to arrest the spread of the Covid-19 infection. 

Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, while addressing a press briefing on Covid-19, said the government had adopted a graded approach to unlocking and opening of economic activity.