CM Kejriwal Extends Covid-19 Lockdown in Delhi Till May 31, Positivity Rate Falls to 2.5%

Amid weakening Covid-19 second wave, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal extended the lockdown till May 31, 5 am on Sunday.

“The positivity rate has come to 2.5% in Delhi. 1,600 new COVID-19 cases reported in Delhi in the last 24 hours,” Delhi CM said in a press conference.

Gearing up for the third Covid-19 wave, CM added that authorities are functioning day and night to make health infrastructure adequate including installing new oxygen plants and ICU beds. If the cases continue to decline with a similar trend, from May 31 the lockdown will be opened in a phased manner, he added.

Also read: Taily Cases Remain Below 3-lakh Mark for 7th Day as India Records 2.40 Lakh New Infections; 3,741 Deaths

“I consulted many people and the general opinion favoured lockdown extension for one week. So, the Delhi government has decided that lockdown will be extended to 5 AM on May 31,” Kejriwal said. The lockdown was required so that the gains made after much struggle are not lost, he added.

This comes after the inoculation drive for the 18-44 age group came to a halt in Delhi on Saturday amid a massive shortage of vaccines, with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal saying it will take 30 months to vaccinate people in this category here if the supply crisis continues.

CM has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to ensure an immediate supply of jabs and increase the quota for Delhi. As the country faces a shortage of vaccines, Kejriwal gave four suggestions to Modi, including procurement of vaccines from foreign manufacturers and inviting firms for production in India. In an online press conference, Kejriwal said that from Sunday, all vaccination centers for youths in Delhi will be closed as stocks have run out.

Delhi requires 80 lakh doses a month to vaccinate people in three months. But it only received 16 lakh doses in May and the Centre has further decreased Delhi’s quota in June to 8 lakh doses, Kejriwal said. So far, 50 lakh people have been vaccinated in Delhi. Further, 2.5 crore more doses are required to vaccinate all adults in Delhi, he said. With this speed of 8 lakh doses per month, it will take 30 months to vaccinate all the adults alone. By then, no one knows how many waves will arrive and how many deaths will occur,” Kejriwal said, urging the prime minister to raise the quota and supply to the city immediately.

Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Telegram.