Representational image.

Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain on Friday said there is no alternative but to learn to live with COVID-19.

Speaking to the reporters, Jain said while the cases are increasing, the rate of increase is just five per cent.

“There was a time when we all thought that this pandemic will be over by May 1 due to the summer. But now we have seen that in the Latin American countries also the pandemic is increasing. The temperature of these countries is very high. This shows that we have to learn to live with COVID-19,” Jain said.

He also said that in the last two months, in the lockdown, we have learned various lessons from the COVID-19.

“If we wear masks, maintain social distancing and wash hands regularly then people will be 90-95 per cent safer,” the minister said.

Jain said on Thursday, India’s growth rate of COVID was five per cent and earlier there was a time when the growth rate was 20 per cent.

“I believe that the numbers should be seen in terms of the percentage increase,” he added.

He said the new cases in Delhi are coming from the containment zones as well as from outside the containment zones.

“We have received various suggestions from the residents of Delhi and based on those we have sent our suggestions to the central government regarding the relaxation of the lockdown,” Jain said.

He said the key suggestions from the people are that every person should wear a mask in public place and social distancing should be maintained all the time.