Partial lockdowns, night curfews won’t help curb COVID-19 spread: Harsh Vardhan

New Delhi, Mar 27: With many states announcing night curfews and partial lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus, Union Health Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that these concepts do not work.

He however added that public health measures such as the vaccination drive could slow down the second COVID-19 wave. The minister was speaking at the Times Network India Economic Conclave on Friday. Physical distancing is an established non-pharmaceutical intervention to suppress the transmission of Covid, he said.

He also said that the Centre is planning to widen the scope of the Covid-19 immunisation drive by bringing more population groups under its ambit.

He said people have embraced the 'Made in India' vaccines, and it is due to this enthusiasm and trust that the country crossed the last one crore vaccinations in just under four days.

The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on Jan. 16 with healthcare workers getting inoculated first and the immunisation of frontline workers followed from Feb. 2.

The next phase of Covid-19 vaccinations commenced from March 1 for those who are over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified comorbid conditions.

"A few days ago, the government announced that from April 1 all citizens aged 45 years and above, whether having any comorbidity or not, will be eligible to get vaccinated. The government is already planning to widen the umbrella of Covid-19 vaccine beneficiaries soon to cover other sections of the population," Vardhan said.