Delhi COVID-19 lockdown extended yet again; curbs till May 31
The ongoing lockdown in Delhi has been extended again, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Sunday. This is the fifth extension of the lockdown, which has remained in force for over a month. Kejriwal said his government is now focusing on getting everyone vaccinated against the coronavirus while preparing for a possible third wave of COVID-19 in India. Here are more details.
The lockdown will now remain in force till 5 am next Monday (May 31) instead of 5 am on May 24, Kejriwal announced. "We don't want all that we have gained through hard work and sacrifice over the past month to be lost by lifting the lockdown," he said, "If the cases continue to decline after May 31, we will start the 'unlock' process."
The lockdown in Delhi had first come into force on April 19. It has already seen four week-long extensions since then. All malls, cinema halls, shopping complexes, swimming pools, restaurants, salons, gyms, and spas remain shut. Home delivery/takeaway services by restaurants are allowed. The restrictions include a ban on all social, religious, political, entertainment, and sports gatherings, according to the lockdown guidelines.
Kejriwal said the current and fourth wave of COVID-19 has been the most disastrous. During this wave, Delhi reported a record number of infections (28,395 on April 20) and also a record test positivity rate (36.2% on April 21). Kejriwal said the "wave is weakening" with the discipline and hard work of Delhiites. He cautioned that the battle is yet to be won.
Kejriwal announced that Delhi's daily infections on Sunday slipped to 1,600, while the daily positivity rate stands at 2.5%. On Saturday, 2,260 new cases pushed Delhi's tally to 14,15,219. The death toll climbed to 23,013 with 182 more fatalities on Saturday.
"Currently, our top priority is finding a way to get Delhi's 2 crore people vaccinated as soon as possible," Kejriwal said, "We have ensured a capacity to vaccinate all Delhi residents within three months. However, there is a countrywide shortage of vaccines." "If everyone gets vaccinated, maybe we can avoid the nationwide third wave," he said, adding that preparations for the worst are underway.
Kejriwal further said, "Some of our doctors and nurses have not slept or gone home in days. Some of them have been martyred. I salute their martyrdom. We will forever be in their debt. Delhi will provide their families Rs. 1 crore financial assistance each."
