The Coronavirus pandemic has put all of mankind in crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an address to the nation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an address to the nation on Thursday, said that the World Wars 1 and 2 did not impact as many countries as the Coronavirus pandemic is doing now. During a 30-minute broadcast, PM Modi asked Indians to contribute to the government’s efforts to prevent the outbreak from spreading.

His advice ranged from a one-day self-isolation effort - to check how ready India was to deal with the pandemic should it continue for long - to some practical suggestions about what people should do.

10 takeaways from PM Narendra Modi’s address

  • Complacency should not set in. All Indians should remain alert and cautious.

  • Observe a ‘Janata’ (public) Curfew from 7 am till 9 pm on March 22. Everybody, except those in emergencies and essential services shall not leave their homes.

  • This will be a litmus test to see how prepared India is for fighting a global pandemic like Coronavirus.

  • At 5 pm on March 22, express gratitude to those who have been working at airports, hospitals, government offices, police forces, media organisations, transport services, and home delivery services.

  • Social Distancing is critical in these times of the global corona pandemic.

  • People over 65 years in age should not leave their homes for the next few weeks.

  • Avoid going to the hospital for routine check-ups, Postpone already scheduled non-essential, elective surgeries by a month.

  • A COVID-19 Economic Task Force is being set up to implement the steps necessary to deal with the economic challenges arising from the Coronavirus outbreak.

  • There is no shortage of essential items like milk, groceries and medicines. Avoid hoarding essential items through panic buying.

  • Do not cut the pay of people who provide services, even if they are not able to come to work due to the pandemic.