Indian health ministry: Social distancing is 'our vaccine' for the moment
The ministry urged the public to follow the mandatory safety measures and maintain social distance especially during the upcoming festival season and the exams being conducted across the country.
Amidst the constantly surging Covid-19 cases in India, The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare called on people to follow the Covid-19 guidelines and adhere to the appropriate safety measures and protocols including wearing face masks and maintaining social distance following the start of Unlock 4 as more people are out on the streets with some means of public transportation operating again.
The ministry noted that people started ignoring the right Covid-19 behaviour, which some experts deem to be the main reason behind the recent outrageous spikes in the number of new cases.
During a press briefing on Thursday, Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary at the Union Health Ministry stated "In a few days, we will be into the festival season and currently various examinations in colleges and universities are being held countrywide. In such times, Covid appropriate behaviour should be followed at the community and social levels,".
Bhushan also added that until a Covid-19 vaccine arrives, social distancing is the only vaccine available now, urging people to keep wearing face masks at all times in public places, use alcohol-based sanitizers, wash their hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water, avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth and cover them with tissue/handkerchief while sneezing or coughing, to prevent the further spread of the infection.
India's Covid-19 caseload surpassed 3.8 million marks with the country having been reporting alarming numbers of new cases on a daily basis. India reported a global record high single-day spike with 82,860 new infections in just 24 hours.