Irfan Pathan puts forth his suggestions to Gujarat CM and Vadodara Collector to tackle pandemic situation
Irfan Pathan expressed his satisfaction after the meeting stating that it was wonderful interacting with them.
India has experienced a spike in the Coronavirus cases over the last few days. The count has gone past 1 lakh in the country despite the nationwide lockdown since March 24. Gujarat is the third most affected state in India after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu with more than 12,500 cases out of which almost 750 people have lost their lives.
To discuss the current situation and the steps to be taken in the near future to contain the virus, the former India cricketer Irfan Pathan visited the Collector Office in Vadodara to meet Shalini Agarwal and also interacted with the Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani through video conference on Wednesday. Vadodara Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut and other notable people also attended the meeting.
Irfan has been at the forefront in terms of helping the needy, along with his brother Yusuf Pathan, during the ongoing pandemic donating masks and distributing the essential items. This time around he took the lead and suggested the government a few steps to take in this pandemic.
Instil positivity in people
During the discussion, he urged the government to instil positivity in people who are yet to come to terms with the current situation. Nobody had expected the virus to harm the nation and the world so hard but this is the time to stay united and come out of this pandemic according to Irfan. He also lauded the frontline workers for their contribution and hoped that the people also help each other during these tough times.
“Our (Vadodara’s) Commissioner and Collector have done outstanding work in the city amid these times. I also hope that citizens also help out each other in the battle against COVID-19. We have to move forward by helping each other amid this pandemic,” he said during the meeting.
Spread awareness about the virus and the current situation
Irfan Pathan also cited the importance of spreading awareness about the virus among the people and also let them know about the current situation in the country and the state.
The Indian Government has already taken such steps from their side involving the cricketers and celebrities who urge the citizens to be the part of mask force and not to forward the fake news. As for masks, the Pathan brothers also donated some of them on in March to the Vadodara Health Department which were distributed to the frontline workers including the staff which cleans the road and the surrounding.
Help poor people for food and shelter
Poor people and the daily wage workers have been affected the most during this lockdown. With nothing to do, the migrant workers have also suffered the most. Highlighting the point, Irfan Pathan said that everyone should come forward to lend a helping hand to these people so that they don’t suffer due to hunger. While the government and the NGOs are doing their bit but more help is needed for the needy people to survive. Leading from the front, Irfan and Yusuf last month distributed 10000 kgs of rice and 700 kgs of potato in Baroda.
Tips to boost immune system of the body
The 35-year-old felt that the Gujarat Government should also raise more awareness about how to boost the immune system of the body and stay fit in order to fight the virus. If the immune system of a particular person is strong, then he/she can recover from the Coronavirus. Being the cricketer, Irfan Pathan knows the benefits of having Vitamin C and D tablets.
“As I was discussing with the Hon. Collector, the intake of Vitamin C and D will help to increase the immunity of people. We sportspersons are already aware of the benefits of Vitamin C and D. As a cricketer, I used to suffer from vitamin D deficiency while playing in the sun and often fell ill. Then I increase the intake of Vitamin D which yielded good results,” Irfan added. Knowing the importance of the tablets, Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan provided the Vadodara Police with the Vitamin C tablets so that they stay fit and there is no hindrance to their services.
Avoid large gatherings during festivals
The places of worship are closed to avoid large gatherings of people during this pandemic and there are no signs of them opening in the near future. However, with festivals approaching soon, there have been demands of the temples, Masjids, Gurudwaras, etc… to open. But Irfan Pathan, during his meeting, opined that the festivals are to be celebrated with the family and loved ones and to do it, there is no need to come out on roads and gather in large numbers.
However, he urged people to keep praying to God for everyone’s well-being stating that prayers are always the best medicine during the tough times like these.
Motivate frontline workers
Frontline workers like Doctors, Nurses, Police, Cleaning staff among many others have been risking their lives during this pandemic. Irfan suggested the Gujarat CM and the Collector to try and motivate them by thanking them for the way they have handled the situation. Earlier, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also asked the citizens to thank these workers in a unique way while the Indian Air Force (IAF) jets showered flowers on certain hospitals to honour India’s Corona Warriors.
After a fruitful meeting with the dignitaries, Irfan Pathan expressed his satisfaction stating that it was wonderful meeting them and sharing some of the knowledge he possesses as a sportsperson.
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