Will a nationwide lockdown be imposed: Option being discussed says Centre

New Delhi, May 06: The question amidst the raging second wave of COVID-19 is whether a nation wide lockdown be imposed or not.

While the Union Health Ministry has not ruled out a lockdown, Niti Aayog member V K Paul said that the option is being discussed. He said that the states have already been instructed to impose local night curfews and restrictions in districts with over 10 per cent positivity rate and more than 60 per cent occupancy of ICU beds.

There is a clear balanced advisory in addition to the range of restrictions, if anything more is required, those options are always being discussed and those decisions, as being required will be taken, he also said.

On the other hand, the national COVID-19 task force said that significant guidelines have already been issued to the states. Many experts said that nationwide lockdown may be the only option left as India fights the second wave of COVID-19. A lockdown may be the only option to break this chain of the transmission of the virus, the experts have said.