Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation today, said the entire country will go under lockdown from midnight to tackle the coronavirus pandemic that has killed nine and infected around 500 people in India.
This is the PM's second address to the nation since Thursday, when he called for a "Janata Curfew" on Sunday, a 14-hour self-quarantine to fight the spread of coronavirus. Since then, almost all of India has come under complete lockdown.
Here are the highlights on what PM Modi said in his address to the nation:
From 12 midnight, entire country will go under complete lockdown. The lockdown will be for 21 days -- three weeks. This lockdown is in a way a curfew and would be more stringent than the Janata curfew.
Forget what it means to go out for 21 days. Stay at home. It is for all Indians, every family and even for the Prime Minister. The laxity of certain people will jeopardize the entire country -- including you, your parents, friends.
Infected people often seem fine at first, they can infect hundreds within days. The World Health Organisation says one infected person can infect hundreds within weeks. It spreads like fire. It took 67 days to reach 1 lakh cases globally. After that in only 11 days, another 1 lakh. From 2 to 3 lakh it took 4 days. You can now understand how fast it spreads. And it becomes difficult to stop the spread.
The Centre has made an allocation of Rs 15,000 crore for treatment of coronavirus.
CORONA means Koi Road Par Na Nikle (No one must go out on the roads).
We may have to pay financial cost for this lockdown but it is important for safety of people.
Countries like Iran, China, Spain, Italy, German, France, US are scrambling to contain the virus. Be it Italy or US, they have the best healthcare. Despite that these countries couldn't stop the impact.
However, hope comes from countries that have been able to contain it to some extent. For weeks, people in these countries stayed home and followed the rules of their governments.
To break the chain of spread, 21 days of lockdown is absolutely necessary. If we don't manage these 21 days, the country will be set back by 21 years. Some families will be destroyed forever.
Today's decision of lockdown means a lakshman rekha has been drawn outside your doors. If you put even one foot out, coronavirus will enter your homes.
Sometimes rumours are also spread and they travel fast. Don't fall prey to rumours and superstitions. Listen to the centre, state and medical fraternity. Don't take any medicines without a prescription.
Think of the media people who are risking their lives and working 24/7. Think of the police officials who are on duty to protect you and your family members. Please think about those who are risking lives to save you - nurses, doctors, paramedics, pathologists - who are working day and night to save each soul. Pray for those who are sanitising your surroundings so that the virus can be completely eradicated.
I have once again come here to speak about the coronavirus pandemic. We had taken a pledge on March 22, the nation fulfilled it with responsibility. Children, elderly, small and big, poor and rich came together in this testing time. Every Indian made Janata Curfew a success. India showed that when there is crisis on the country and humanity, we all come together to fight it.
Social distancing is the only option to combat coronavirus.
You are hearing about the pandemic from news. You can see that the most empowered nations have become helpless in the face of the pandemic. It is not that these countries are not trying or that they lack resources, but the coronavirus is spreading so fast that despite all efforts, the challenges are increasing.
