Odisha CM urges to follow strict guidelines & maintain social distancing, says June month is key.

As Odisha continues to battle an upsurge in Covid numbers, and increasing local cases becoming a cause of serious concern, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday yet again called upon the people to stay indoors and follow guidelines to prevent spread of the virus. In his address to the people of the State, the Chief Minister reiterated that June was the most crucial month in the fight against coronavirus. Attributing the surge to the return of migrants from affected states, he said more than five lakh Odia people have already come back. The impact is being felt, but will come down within the next 15 to 20 days. Besides, monsoon is also expected to arrive in the State around June 10, during which people are commonly afflicted by cold, cough and fever.

“Because of these two reasons I am repeatedly telling you that the next 25 days are crucial for us in the fight against Covid- 19. How we manage this period is vital for our success. June will prove decisive,” he said. ‘The Covid-19 pandemic is now at its peak in the country. Only 15 days back, the number of infection per day in the country was 3,000 which now has increased to nearly 10,000 per day, posing a big challenge before all of us,’ he added. Naveen warned against letting the guard down stating that relaxation of lockdown did not mean coronavirus has disappeared.

He asked people to practise ‘self-lockdown’ irrespective of the Government-imposed lockdown or shutdown. The Government has imposed shutdown on two days a week in June so that people of 11 districts will remain indoors. During the next 30 days there will be 300 hours of night curfew. “If we combine shutdown and night curfew, we will remain indoors for 17 days in June which will definitely bring down Covid-19 infection,” he said and added, “If you don’t go outside, corona can never enter your house.”