Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the lockdown will not be lifted post-June 30 but there will be limited relaxations. He said the State might see rise in the number of patients in the coming few days.
Mr. Thackeray said re-imposing lockdown or allowing more relaxations would squarely depend on the citizens as discipline has to be followed.
“We are not going to end the lockdown after June 30. But yes, we will offer a few relaxations. We have to realise that as more relaxations are given, more number of cases of corona have come up. We are walking on the edge. We are opening services only to revive stopped economic cycle,” he said.
Mr. Thackeray said the threat remains. “Come out of the illusion that relaxations mean corona threat is over. I am getting requests from local authorities about shutting down areas due to rising number of cases. I have told them that they can impose lockdown locally if people continue to crowd on roads and cases are increasing,” he said.
Maharashtra is one of the worst affected States with 1,59,133 cases. “As we open up more and more activities, there is a possibility that positive cases may rise. But we are ready to take on the surge. We have increased our infrastructure and also testing facilities. Mumbai implemented ‘Chase the Virus’ successfully. This will be replicated in other parts of the State as well,” he said.
He appealed to the cured patients to donate blood plasma for the Plasma Therapy. “Maharashtra has the largest use of plasma therapy. The success rate is good. I appeal to the recovered patients to contact the government medical colleges and doctors to donate plasma.” Mr. Thackeray also requested senior doctors to join the anti-COVID operations, assuring them that their safety will not be compromised at any level. He acknowledged that senior citizens are at risk but “we need your experience”.
“We are also using all available medicines including the Remdesivir. We followed up with the Central government and have received permission to use it. There will no shortage. We will make available these medicines free of cost at the government hospitals. Soon stocks will be full.”
The Chief Minister specifically thanked people of all religions for showing restraint and celebrating festivals inside the houses following all the norms. “Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and everyone followed the government directives. I thank them all.” He also welcome the initiative of the Dahi handi organisers to cancel the celebrations this year.
“We held a meeting with the Ganesh mandals and I appealed them to restrict the idol height to 4 feet. There will be no processions on arrival or visarjan of Ganpati,” he said.
