Clamour For Nationwide Lockdown Grows As Fauci & IMA Repeat Calls To Centre

New Delhi: Despite advice from several quarters, including America’s top pandemic expert Dr Anthony Fauci and Indian Medical Association (IMA), the Union government has refrained from imposing a nationwide lockdown to control the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

Fauci, who a week ago had advised immediate imposition of lockdown for a couple of weeks, on Saturday repeated his call during an interview with Times Now.

The chief medical advisor to the Joe Biden administration said that India needs to shut down for a few weeks to break the chain of coronavirus.

“Whether or not the third wave of COVID-19 can be avoided depends on how much you are able to vaccinate people,” Fauci said on a possible third wave in India.

IMA also joined in, writing to the Union Health ministry and asking the Central government to announce a national lockdown to help the healthcare infrastructure recoup and replenish.

“We are astonished to see the extreme lethargy and inappropriate actions from the Health Ministry in combating the agonising crisis born out of the devastating second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic,” IMA said in a statement.

Also Read: Lockdown Should Be Our Last Resort, Says PM Narendra Modi In Address To Nation

IMA, the largest group of physicians from across the country, noted that it had been insisting for the last 20 days on the need for complete, well-planned, pre-announced national lockdown rather than some states imposing complete lockdown for two weeks.

“This will allow breathing time for the health care infrastructure to recoup and replenish both the material and manpower. Lockdown will break the chain of devastating spread. However, the Central government refused to heed, to implement lockdown resulting in the mounting of new patients beyond four lakh every day and the number of moderate to severe cases are increasing to nearly 40%,” IMA said.