PM Modi asks companies to not lay off employees amid coronavirus lockdown

As prime minister Narendra Modi extended the lockdown till May 3, he urged people to follow seven recommendations, and among them is one that asks companies to not lay off their employees. In a nearly 25-minute televised address to the nation, Modi said implementation of the lockdown will be strictly ensured in its second phase and detailed guidelines will be brought out on Wednesday to ensure that outbreak does not spread to new areas.

The seven recommendations that PM Modi unveiled and urged the public at large to follow are: 

1. Take care of elders in the house

2. Maintain social distancing, use homemade masks

3. Use guidelines from Ayush to increase immunity

4. Use Aarogya Setu mobile App

5. Help the poor families

6. Help your colleagues, do not fire employees

7. Respect and celebrate our heroes - doctors, nurses, healthcare workers

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The prime minister hinted that some relaxations may be allowed after April 20 in places where there are no hotspots. "Follow the rules of lockdown with full devotion till May 3, stay where you are, stay safe," the prime minister told citizens.

Modi said India has managed to contain the pandemic well compared to many developed countries due to its holistic approach in dealing with the crisis and sacrifices made by people of the country in the fight produced tangible results.

"If India would not have adopted a holistic approach, if an integrated approach was not initiated, India's situation would have been different (compared to many developed countries). It is clear from the experiences of the past few days that the path we have chosen is right," the prime minister said.

The fight against COVID-19 will be made more stringent in next one week, he said, asserting that new hotspots will create new crises. India has reported 10,363 cases of the virus infection and 339 deaths so far.