Covid challenge not over yet: Modi

New Delhi: The challenge of Covid-19 is not fully over and the surge in cases in the past two weeks indicates that the country needs to stay alert, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday.

Interacting with the Chief Ministers to review the Covid-19 situation in the country, the Prime Minister raised a red flag, specifically highlighting the surge in cases being witnessed in European countries triggered by sub-variants of Omicron.

"In some states, Covid-19 cases are once again increasing… it is clear that the challenge of Covid-19 is not fully over. We are seeing in European countries, how Omicron and its sub-variants can lead to a serious situation.

In the last few months, in a few countries, due to these sub-variants we have seen many surges," he said. "Compared to other countries, Indians have kept the situation relatively under control. Despite that, in the last two weeks, the way the cases are surging in a few states, it is a sign that we need to be alert," he added. The Prime Minister emphasised that priority in the new phase of the pandemic should be to vaccinate all eligible children. He directed the states to run special vaccination campaigns, especially in the backdrop of children returning to school after a long break.

"After a long break, the schools have reopened in our country. Some parents are worried about the increase in cases in some places. There are reports of some schools reporting children being tested positive for Covid-19. However, it is a matter of satisfaction that many children have also received protection through the vaccines," he said.

"On Tuesday, the regulator gave permission to administer Covaxin for 6-12 years. It is our priority to vaccinate all the eligible child population. For this, we have to run special drives in the schools. We have to create awareness among the parents and the teachers about the importance of vaccination."

He highlighted that the twin strategy of bringing the cases under control and allowing the economy to continue should remain the priority. "During the third wave, we witnessed more than three lakh daily cases. Every state handled these cases well. They also allowed economic and social activity to continue. This balance should be part of future strategy," the Prime Minister said.