Kerala is paying the heavy price for lapses in Covid 19 prevention, Union minister Harsh Vardhan criticizes state govt

NEW DELHI: Union health minister Dr Harshvardhan has said that lapses had happened in Kerala's Covid 19 prevention efforts and now the state is paying a heavy price for it. He raised the criticisms during the promo of his weekly programme, ‘Sunday Samvad.’

He said that in the first phase, the state has effectively put the pandemic under control but he lapses shown by state govt in its prevention programme has now put the state under a crisis. He also said that he will explain how Kerala’s Covid 19 prevention went from good to bad in a video to be aired at 1.00 pm

Tune-In to #SundaySamvaad at 1PM to know about the evolving #pandemic

Has the virus mutated?
How did Kerala go from best to worst performing against #COVID19?
Is there any intranasal Vaccine for COVID19?
Mismatch in number of #Covid related deaths?#WATCH me answer these & more pic.twitter.com/OtvVjUG6fc

— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) October 18, 2020

Dr Harshvardhan has reiterated the opinion of health experts that the religious festivals and gatherings ongoing in India without following due covid 19 protocol have only spiked the rapid spread of the pandemic. The health minister cautioned against celebrating festivals in the wake of the pandemic’s rapid spread. Earlier he has asked whether precious lives should be put in danger by celebrating festivals. He also added that no religion or god has asked to celebrate by forming crowds in roads and public places. He made this statement while talking about reports which showed the spike in Covid-19 cases in Kerala following onam celebrations.

“Even after publishing strict guidelines for religious gatherings and festivities none of it is followed properly, and the result is a rapid increase in Covid 19 cases,” he said. Earlier, the state government has drawn criticisms from various quarters for relaxing Covid 19 protocols in the months of August and September for onam festivities.