Impossible to Defeat Covid-19 Without Vaccine, Precaution Only Way Ahead: Telangana Health Minister

Hyderabad: It’s clearly impossible to eradicate COVID-19 without a vaccine, said Telangana Health Minister Etela Rajender in an interview with News18, while underlining that the effort must remain on containing the spread of the deadly disease.

“Only a vaccine can eradicate coronavirus and we don’t know when it shall come. But we must take the necessary precautions to contain it,” Rajender said.

Reacting on allegations of inadequate tests in Telangana, the Health Minister said that the state is following the norms laid out by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). “It is a foolish accusation. We are conducting tests according to the norms of the ICMR, which has clearly said that tests must be done on those who show symptoms of COVID-19,” Rajender said.

Swab test samples cannot be collected from people without symptoms, he added.

Taking a dig at his counterpart in Andhra Pradesh, Rajender said that the neighbouring state woke up after spreading the virus to more people.

“We were alert from the beginning. The entire country is appreciating Telangana for its measures to prevent the coronavirus. Our Chief Minister, KCR, announced for complete lockdown in the initial state and can now hopefully contain it,” he said.

Rajinder stated that about 250 people who returned from Tablighi Jamaat in New Delhi’s Nizamuddin was infected with COVID-19.

“Now the number of positive cases is about 1,000. But it’s spread has gone down. Twenty people in a single family in Malakpet of Hyderabad were infected with the virus initially,” Rajender said, adding that arresting the disease in all the districts in the state is still easier compared to the thickly populated city of Hyderabad.

Besides, the Minister claimed that the situation in India is still under control and the mortality rate is less as compared to other countries.

“Our climate, food habits, and immunity definitely have effects on the COVID-19 spread. We are safe and need not to worry,” he said.

Reacting on the financial situation after lockdown, he said, “We have to work hard on it. But, definitely, lives are important than it. The government has already given permission to continue their works in rural areas to protect its economy.”

India on Friday registered 35,043 cases of Covid-19 while the death toll jumped to 1,147, with 73 deaths in 24 hours, marking the biggest spike in a day so far.