Coronavirus lockdown imposed at right time, acted as social vaccine: Health Minister Harsh Vardhan

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New Delhi: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday (May 24, 2020) has claimed that the decision to impose the nationwide lockdown was taken at the right time and that it has helped in reducing the number of coronavirus COVID-19 cases, news agancy ANI reported.

The minister in a video address to reporters from the national capital called the shutdown as a 'potent social vaccine'. He also pointed out that the doubling rate of cases has also come down considerably due to the imposition of the lockdown. The doubling rate before the lockdown was between 3.4 days and currently it is more than 13 days. 

"If doubling rate in India before lockdown was between 3.4 days, today the doubling rate is more than 13-days. Lockdown and all its guidelines have acted as potent social vaccine," he said.

Harsh Vardhan said, "Lockdown was imposed in India at the right time. Other developed countries wasted many days to take this decision. In some countries when situation went out of control they took the decision of lockdown and in most places it was partial lockdown."

The lockdown to stop the spread of novel coronavirus was imposed in India from the midnight of March 24 and has been since extended, now even though several restrictions have been lifted the lockdown is still in effect till May 31. 

Meanwhile, the number of cases in India touched 1,31,868 which is inclusive of 73,560 active cases, 54,440 recoveries and 3,867 casualties to date. The total recovery rate in India stands at 42.28 per cent.