In the wake of rising Omicron cases, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar on Thursday said that things need to be taken seriously and we don't want a lockdown again.
While he was speaking with the media, he pointed out that some MLAs were not wearing masks in the House during the ongoing winter session of the state legislature.
Things should be taken seriously in the light of the new variant of coronavirus, he said in the Assembly.
"Barring few, many (legislators) do not wear a mask. Throw me out if even I do not wear a mask. The entire Maharashtra is looking at what is happening here, but at least after speaking one should wear the mask," Pawar said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is thinking seriously about the pandemic against the backdrop of the emergence of the new variant (Omicron) and discussions are underway at the highest level about imposing night curfew, he said.
"I wear a mask even while speaking, but some people can not do that. But they should at least wear it after speaking," the deputy CM said.
The number of coronavirus patients is increasing rapidly in some parts of the world, Pawar said, adding, "Things should be taken seriously." Maharashtra has so far reported 65 cases of the Omicron variant.
Meanwhile, Centre proposed a fivefold strategy for tackling the threat of COVID-19 variant 'Omicron', in a review meeting on Thursday over public health preparedness by States and Union Territories for fighting COVID-19 and the Omicron variant.
The fivefold strategy includes broad guidelines under the heading - Containment, Testing and Surveillance, Clinical management, COVID Safe Behaviour and Vaccination.
According to Health Ministry, states are advised to Impose night curfews and ensure strict regulation of large gatherings, especially ahead of the forthcoming festivities. Promptly notify "Containment Zones", "Buffer Zones" in the case in new clusters of COVID positive cases. Ensure strict perimeter control of Containment Zone as per extant guidelines and send all cluster samples to INSACOG Labs for Genome Sequencing without delay.
"On the issue of Testing and Surveillance, States were asked to keep a close and strict watch on the number of Delta and Omicron cases in all districts. Keep a tab on case positivity numbers on a day-on-day and week-on-week basis, the doubling rate and new emerging clusters," reads the official statement.
