PM Narendra Modi calls 'Tika Utsav' beginning of second big war against COVID-19, suggests four points

PM Modi said that people have to lay special emphasis on personal hygiene as well as social hygiene.

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New Delhi: As the 'Tika Utsav' began across India on Sunday (April 11, 2021), Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it the beginning of the second major war against the COVID-19 pandemic and suggested four points.

On the occasion, PM Modi shared a message on his official social media accounts and said that people have to lay special emphasis on personal hygiene as well as social hygiene.

He stressed the following four points with regard to the drive:

1. Each One - Vaccinate.

PM said that those who can't go themselves for vaccination, such as illiterate and old people, should be assisted.

2. Each One - Treat One.

PM Modi stated that this involves helping people in getting COVID-19 treatment, who do not have the resources or knowledge to get it.

3. Each One - Save One.

"Emphasis should be that I should wear a mask and in this way, I save myself and save the lives of others also," Prime Minister Modi asserted. 

4. Society and people should lead in creating 'micro containment zones'.

The Prime Minister said that the family members and community members should create a 'micro containment zone', in case of even a single positive case. "Micro containment zones are a key component of the fight against Corona in a densely populated country like India," stated Prime Minister Modi.

आज से हम सभी, देशभर में टीका उत्सव की शुरुआत कर रहे हैं। कोरोना के खिलाफ लड़ाई के इस चरण में देशवासियों से मेरे चार आग्रह हैं… https://t.co/8zXZ0bqYgl — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 11, 2021

PM Modi emphasized the need for testing and awareness and asked that every eligible person should get vaccinated. "This should be the primary effort of both the society and the administration," he added.

He also insisted that the country has to move towards zero vaccine wastage and that the optimum utilization of vaccination capacity is a way of increasing our capacity.

He ended by reminding – 'Dawai bhi, kadai bhi'.

टीका उत्सव पर देशवासियों से आग्रह। pic.twitter.com/GvGV3OCnP7 — PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 11, 2021

During his interaction with chief ministers to discuss the COVID-19 situation in the country on April 8, PM Modi had called for a vaccination festival between April 11 and April 14 on the occasion of the birth anniversaries of Jyotiba Phule and Baba Saheb Ambedkar.

It has begun a day after the Prime Minister's Office announced that India is the fastest country in the world to administer 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. 

India, notably, achieved the feat in 85 days as compared to the United States (89 days) and China (102 days).

Strengthening the efforts to ensure a healthy and COVID-19 free India. pic.twitter.com/A2cQ22pxEf — PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 10, 2021

As per the provisional report at 08:00 AM on Sunday, the cumulative number of coronavirus vaccine doses administered in the country stands at 10,15,95,147.

The world's largest COVID-19 vaccination drive had kicked off in India on January 16, 2021.