Bengaluru: As COVID-19 continues to cause havoc across the State, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers D.V. Sadanandagowda has batted for extension of lockdown for a couple of weeks.

Speaking to presspersons after launching a COVID Care Centre at Kempegowda Community Hall in Nandini Layout here yesterday, Sadanandagowda, who is also a former Karnataka Chief Minister, pointed out that COVID caseload has come down significantly in big cities like Mumbai and Delhi with the enforcement of lockdown. As such, the Government should seriously think about extending the lockdown, which ends on May 24.

Maintaining that it is the intention of the Government to vaccinate everyone in the State, the Union Minister said that the Government has taken many measures in this regard. Noting that the drive for vaccinating people in the age group of 18 to 44 years has received a temporary setback because of the sudden rush due to the second wave of the deadly pandemic, he said that the Government is in constant touch with COVID and black fungus drug manufacturers. 

Pointing out that the manufacturers have been appealed to enhance production, he contended that the Government is doing what all it can to ensure that there is no shortage of vital drugs. He appealed the public to co-operate with the Government in this trying times.