COVID-19: PM Calls For Social Distancing, People's Curfew

Task force to reduce economic impact; employers told to pay employees in full

- Nistula Hebbar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged Indians across the country to face the coronavirus pandemic with collective determination and patience to make sure that “humanity and India prevails”. In his address to the nation on television, Mr. Modi also announced the setting up of the COVID-19 task force, under Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, for measures to mitigate some of the economic hardships engendered by the pandemic.

There were nine calls to action in Mr. Modi’s address, including a self-imposed ‘janata curfew’ (people’s curfew) on March 22, not to resort to panic-buying, asking senior citizens to stay indoors, social-distancing, avoiding elective surgery or routine health check-ups not to overburden health services, asking employers to pay employees in full when they have to stay home and to stay away from rumours.

Serious situation