In view of the current Covid pandemic situation, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee today extended the existing lockdown till 20 September, with three days of complete lockdown next month.
As already notified, a complete lockdown will be enforced tomorrow and on 31 August. In September, there would be complete lockdown on 7th (Monday), 11th (Friday) and 12th (Saturday).
“As Covid cases are on the rise in many areas we have decided that lockdown should not be lifted completely at this moment. The status quo will continue till 20 September. Schools, colleges and educational institutes will continue to remain closed,” said Miss Banerjee after the state Cabinet meeting at Nabanna Sabhaghar.
Miss Banerjee said flight services from the six hotspot states ~ Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Nagpur, Ahmedabad and Pune ~ that are suspended till 31 August can be allowed three days a week.
Metro services can be allowed but will have to ensure social distancing norms and local trains too can run with one-fourth capacity at the beginning, said
Miss Banerjee adding that the Railways can talk to the state government in this regard.
Reiterating that patients with serious ailments are affected by Covid more seriously than others, Miss Banerjee said that the overall death count in the state is lower than that which was recorded last year. During 1 April to 31 July, 1,20,457 people died in Bengal last year while this year the total death count in that period was 1,19,916.
“Thus, it will be incorrect to say that Covid has claimed many lives because compared to previous year the death count is lower,” she said.
Miss Banerjee stressed on the importance of wearing masks to combat the pandemic and said that the government is going ahead with the testing tracking and treatment mode.
Work should go on despite the pandemic but necessary precautions should be taken, she added.
Further, she said that out of the over 10 lakh migrant workers who returned to the state due to the lockdown, 5,70,000 workers have been engaged under the MGNREGA scheme.