PANAJI/MAPUSA
Citing the impact it will have on the already bleeding economy, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday ruled out imposition of either a lockdown or night curfew in the State despite alarming spikes in every day Covid-19 for nearly a week.
"Being a touristic state, if we impose night curfew, it will create a spin-off effect. People should remain alert. We have issued an advisory we are continuing to create awareness. People should not go to crowded places, wear masks and maintain social distancing," Sawant said on Friday.
The Chief Minister was interacting with the media during his inspection of expansion works of NH66 in Mapusa.
Sawant instead put the onus on individual citizens to take care of themselves.
"We cannot have a lockdown and shut down all activities right now. The most we can do is provide testing facilities, hospitals, quarantine centres and vaccination," he said, adding that people should vaccinate, get tested and go to hospitals as soon as possible to bring Covid under control.
“People should vaccinate, get tested and hospitalise themselves as early as possible. They should not fear and stay at home. If all these things are done, only then will we be able to control Covid,” Sawant said.
“I request all Goans to get themselves tested and get hospitalised (when needed). That is the only solution,” he added.
Continuing, Sawant said lockdown was not an option as the government cannot afford to restrict economic activity in the State.
“I have maintained right at the outset that we need to take care of ourselves. We cannot have a lockdown and shut down all activities right now,” he said.
“The maximum the government can do is to provide testing facilities, hospitals, quarantine centres and vaccination. The government is doing these five things. People should act responsibly and take measures to control the spread of the virus,” he added.
Meanwhile, Covid cases continued to spike in the State even as six persons died of coronavirus infection on Friday.
