India’s Recovery Rate As High as 88% Due to Adoption of ‘Flexible Lockdown’, Says PM Narendra Modi at Grand Challenges Annual Meeting

New Delhi, October 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday delivered the keynote address at the inaugural function of Grand Challenges Annual Meeting via video conferencing and lauded India's efforts in battling the deadly coronavirus. During his address, the Prime Minister said the country is witnessing a decline in daily COVID-19 cases and in its growth rate and has one of the highest recovery rates of 88 percent. "India has one of the highest recovery rates of 88%. This happened because India was one of the first countries to adopt a flexible lockdown....India is now at forefront of vaccine development for COVID-19", Modi said. India Reports 55,722 Coronavirus Cases, Over 65,000 Recoveries in Past 24 Hours, COVID-19 Tally Goes Past 75 Lakh.

The Grand Challenges Annual Meeting will convene this year virtually from October 19 to 21, bringing together policymakers and science leaders. During the address, the Prime Minister said that the future will be shaped by societies that invest in science and innovation. He added saying that this cannot be done in a short-sighted manner as one has to invest in science and innovation well in advance which will then reap benefits at the right time.

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Talking about the virtual meeting, PM Modi said this meeting was to to be held physically in India but in changed circumstances, it is being held virtually. "Such is the power of technology that a global pandemic did not keep us apart", he said. The Prime Minister said that in India, people have a strong and  vibrant scientific community. India made many interventions, including for improved cleanliness and greater toilet coverage, which contribute to better healthcare system. "We have good scientific institutions. They have been India’s greatest assets, specially during the last few months, while fighting COVID-19. From containment to capacity building, they have achieved wonders", Modi added.

During the meet, world leaders, eminent scientists and researchers from across the globe will join this annual meeting to discuss key priorities for accelerating progress across the sustainable development goals in the post-pandemic world and elaborate on addressing the challenges to manage COVID-19.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 19, 2020 08:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).