'Social distancing, a preventive measure', Health Min calls for unity to contain corona virus
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New Delhi, March 17: Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuessday held a high level meeting with the Group of Ministers (GoM) amid the corona virus and decided to implement social distancing as a preventive strategy to contain the Coronavirus in the country.
In their 7th meeting, the GoM had detailed discussion on prevention and management of COVID-19. They proposed that social distancing is and should be used as a preventive strategy. "However, it is a temporary measure which will be implemented till March 31st, 2020", the statement added.
The important measures taken by the Ministry includes to shut down all the school establishments, non-essential travel should be avoided, work from home, restaurants to ensure hand washing protocol and proper cleanliness of frequently touched surfaces. Sporting events should be postponed. Travel restrictions have been further tightened to prevent the spread of COVID-19 from high-risk areas.
Further the official statement read,"Expanding compulsory quarantine for a minimum period of 14 days for passengers coming from/transiting through UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait. It will come into effect from today onward at the port of first departure".
Chaired the 7th High level GoM meet & issued #SocialDistancing advisory in addition to new travel restrictions. Social distancing is the best non-pharma infection prevention & control intervention to decrease spread, morbidity & mortality due to #COVID2019 . #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/A1B92vP5Ka
— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) March 16, 2020
One more instruction has been passed that the travelling of the passengers is strictly prohibited from the countries like European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and United Kingdom to India. There will be no airline which shall board a passenger from these nations to India. The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure.
Nonetheless, both these instructions are temporary measures and shall be in force till 31st March which will be reviewed subsequently. The 4th batch of 53 evacuees from Iran had arrived on Monday and is being quarantined at the Army facility in Jaisalmer. All are reported to be asymptomatic at present and are in quarantine as per protocol.
The 4th batch of 53 evacuees from Iran had arrived on Monday and is being quarantined at the Army facility in Jaisalmer. All are reported to be asymptomatic at present and are in quarantine as per protocol. The number of confirmed cases in India rose to 125, according to the Ministry of Health and family Welfare. Among those tested positive, 103 are Indians and 22 are foreigners. Maharashtra continues to have the highest number cases, with the number at 39.