India Indoors: Millions Observe “Janata Curfew”

New Delhi: Over a billion people across the country are staying put in their homes today in one of the biggest national exercises to counter the threat from the highly contagious COVID-19, a disease spread by the Novel Coronavirus, which has disrupted economies and killed thousands across the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday stepped in to announce what he called a “janata curfew” or self-imposed quarantine to break the chain of coronavirus infections, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) says spread through person-to-person contact and respiratory droplets. “There is no cure for this, so we need to remain healthy. We need to avoid crowds and stay home. Social distancing is critical. If you think you can roam around as usual and feel you will not be at risk, this is incorrect; you are endangering yourself and your family,” PM Modi said in his 29-minute address to the nation.