Lifting The Lockdown State Govts Hold The Key

Extension option open, but decision after feedback from CMs, ground reports by health agencies & trajectory of viral curve

- Rahul Shrivastava

The Union government on Tuesday dropped hints that it is actively considering extending the COVID-19 lockdown. This is because more and more state governments are not in favour of lifting the lockdown – which has emerged as the lone solution to flatten the infection curve in the war against Coronavirus.

The death toll in the country due to novel Coronavirus rose to 124 and the number of cases climbed to 4,789 on Tuesday, registering an increase of 508 cases in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry. The Centre’s walk down the consensus route with the states is a departure from imposition of the national lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24. The move had drawn sharp criticism, particularly from states ruled by opposition parties.

Top sources in the government said a lot will depend on how effective the ongoing 21-day lockdown proves to be. A senior official said, “The reports from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), states and other agencies are going to be the final ground for a decision. Going by the current trend, if the numbers multiply manifold by April 11-12, even a four-week extension of the lockdown can’t be ruled out.”

WISDOM OF DATA

The Centre will arrive at a final decision on lifting the lockdown and how it will be done on the basis of data provided by the ICMR and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Sources in the two premier bodies said the critical threshold data — on the spread of infection and future progression of cases — may be ready in three days from now.