Prime Minister Narendra Modi told state chief ministers on Friday the next three to four weeks are crucial in the fight against SARS-Cov-2, which causes Covid-19, asked them to redouble efforts to crack down on the pandemic and assured them of all possible help from the Centre, according to people aware of what happened during the interaction.
A day after addressing the nation on the issue, and emphasising the importance of social distancing and a Janta Curfew on Sunday, Modi interacted with all chief ministers for the first time on the pandemic through a video conference.
The Prime Minister asked the states to work with the Centre and underlined that India finds itself at a critical milestone in the spread of the virus. He also said there was no need for any panic.
Some chief ministers, including West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, requested the government to allow private hospitals to test for and treat the disease as pressure is mounting on the government’s medical establishments.
