Can’t afford laxity, further rise in COVID-19 cases again: Harsh Vardhan

He appeals to all to get vaccinated and join the ‘jan andolan’ against pandemic

The government worked round the clock to stop COVID-19 last year and was successful in decreasing the active caseload to the minimum. However, with the arrival of vaccines early this year and things returning back to normality, people gradually invited laxity in their adherence to the simple code of pandemic-appropriate behaviour. While the virus mutated and evolved itself, people let their guard down. All this compounded in the spike in cases snowballing into the second wave, Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan said on Friday. Distributing masks to all employees of the Health Ministry, he noted that that now many parts of the country were gradually moving towards unlock from the second wave, but “we cannot afford the laxity and any further increase in cases again”.