As the May 3 deadline for the lockdown nears, medical experts feel the next month can be “make or break” for the fight against Covid-19 and an aggressive containment strategy for hotspots along with insulation of green zones is essential while giving some relaxations.
Medical experts feel an aggressive containment strategy in red zones and insulation of green zones is a must while giving relaxations.
Dr Rajesh Kumar Gupta, Additional Director, Pulmonology and Critical Care, Fortis Noida, said it is important to understand that the lockdown does not kill the virus, it only slows the spread. Gupta suggested that the lockdown should be continued in red zones for about two weeks or some more time, and curbs be lifted in green zones while ensuring that there is no intermingling between them.
May could be the “make or break” month for the fight against Covid-19 and it is important to keep curbs on in places from where cases are being reported, he told PTI.
Dr Arvind Kumar, a noted lung surgeon at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said it was important that railways, air services, interstate bus services, malls, shopping complexes, religious places etc., should be kept shut.
The borders of green districts should be sealed and limited activities be allowed while ensuring social distancing with hand washing and wearing of masks being part of people’s lifestyle, he told PTI.
In districts where cases have been reported, the lockdown should continue until such a time when there is a downward trend.
May is very crucial in this fight against Covid-19 as India has done well till now and it is important to keep the cases in check and follow an aggressive containment strategy in red zones, while being very cautious in lifting curbs in green zones, Kumar said.
Dr Rommel Tickoo, Associate Director, Internal Medicine, Max Healthcare, said any major relaxation at this juncture of the fight against Covid-19 could be “disastrous”.
“Places like malls, schools, colleges, markets should remain closed through the month of May as one slip up could lead to major spread, undoing the good work,” he told PTI. “I would say lockdown should be in place for at least four more weeks. Numbers are increasing so it is not the time to remove it. Some economic activity can be allowed in green zones, but we have to be very careful,” he asserted.
