After Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, Telangana MAUD minister K T Rama Rao and irrigation minister Harish Rao said people should learn to live with the coronavirus indicating there might be no early tapering off of Covid-19.

Talking to municipal commissioner and additional collectors via video-conference, KTR said there are higher chances of transmission of corona virus once the staggered lockdown is lifted in the state. “Living with the virus is a reality. Till now there is no vaccine, until that time we have to adjust our lifestyle to the reality,” KTR said.

Further, with monsoon approaching, KTR asked the officials to also focus on pre-monsoon cleaning and epidemic prevention activities. Pointing out that Dengue fever and communicable diseases tend to rear up during the monsoon period, he asked officials to redouble the sanitation activities and take all precautionary measures to combat monsoon diseases. In this regard, he sought the community support and people participation.

Meanwhile, Harish Rao at a press briefing said people have to make corona virus prevention guidelines a part of their lives as a behavioral change. “We have to live with the virus. We don’t know for how long, it could be for 3 months or six months or 1 year. Social distancing will be new normal until the time someone makes a vaccine for the virus. People should follow the required do’s and don’ts. No one knows for how long the lockdown will continue. We have to continue to follow the physical distancing to combat this virus.”

He appealed to the people of Siddipet to strictly follow the physical distancing norm and other regulations to combat the virus and asked people not to take the virus casually though Siddipet is declared green zone. Further, Harish Rao said those who fail to wear masks will face a fine of Rs1,000.