New Delhi: As India reports a prevailing condition of COVID-19, voices for a short-time national lockdown grew louder. Health experts have requested the Centre to plan and execute a 15-day lockdown to break the chain of infection.

The fact is that when India went into a 21-day national lockdown in March last year, the total number of active COVID cases was a mere over 500. The lockdown then failed to stop the rise as the first wave too place after that period and devastated businesses and normal life.

This time, as India reported 1,84,372 new cases, setting another grim one-day record and taking the overall total to 13,87,825 on Wednesday.

"As the hospital services are up to the brim and more and more people are dying, vaccination has also been halted because of lack of access at many centres. This is an emergency situation for a shorter national lockdown," Dr Rahul Bhargava, Director, Department of Clinical Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant, Fortis Hospital, was quoted as saying by IANS.

"This way, we will be able to break the virus chain and get a breather to vaccinate more and more people as hospitals services will be back on track," Bhargava added.

Experts also quoted the example of Amaravati lockdown model for breaking the deadly chain.

WHAT IS AMARAVATI MODEL

Maharashtra's Amaravati region recorded a rapid surge in February. The government first enforced a week-end lockdown on February 18 to restrict the further spread but failed to control it.

It was followed by a strict lockdown for seven days, from February 22 to March 1, and was extended for another one week from March 1 to March 8. The lockdown was successful to break the chain of transmission and active caseload decreased.

So it will be interesting to see that will Maharashtra follow Amaravati Model in other districts. On Tuesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that state will not impose lockdown but will undergo stricter guidelines from Wednesday.

CHECK THE NEW GUIDELEINES

• Public transport to be available for only those working in essential services.

• All establishments, public places will remain closed except essential services.

• Road side vendors to operate 7 am to 8 pm but no-one will be allowed to eat at the spot.

• Only home deliveries from restaurants allowed.

• All essential industries to function at full capacity.

• All restaurants and hotels to remain shut for dine-in.

• No shooting for films/serials/ads.

• Cinema halls, drama theatres, clubs, swimming pools, gyms, amusement parks to remain close.

• Section 144 will be imposed and will remain in place till next 15 days.

• Religious places of worship to remain closed.

Maharashtra CM Thackeray on Sunday chaired a meeting with state's task force to review the improvement of medical facilities and use of available medical infrastructure. Meanwhile, Maharashtra on Tuesday reported 60,212 new COVID cases.