Union Minister Ramdas Athawale’s slogan ‘Go Corona Go’ has echoed through social media for the entire first half of the Pandemic. Now since the discovery of the new coronavirus strain, Athawale has announced a new slogan- “No Corona No.”
“For the new coronavirus strain, I would say ‘No Corona, No Corona’ as we don’t want either the old coronavirus or the new strain to infect us,” he told reporters in Pune.
Earlier I gave the slogan 'Go Corona, Corona Go' and now corona is going. For the new coronavirus strain, I give the slogan of 'No Corona, Corona No': Union Minister Ramdas Athawale pic.twitter.com/ND2RQA7gAY
— ANI (@ANI) December 27, 2020
Athawale himself had tested positive for the virus two months ago after attending a Press Conference where he had inducted actor Payal Ghosh in the Republican Party of India (Athawale). He was discharged from a private hospital in Bombay ten days later.
The earlier chant of ‘go corona, go corona’ had been created by the minister while he was at a prayer meeting to stop the spread of the coronavirus in China, with the Chinese Consul General in Mumbai Tang Guocai and Buddhist monks. The video was reportedly shot at Gateway of India on February 20.
It was a source of several memes and songs later leading to the slogan becoming a common household chant.
Covid Strain Variant
The ‘new’ Covid strain variant was first discovered in UK but has spread to other European countries and India very quickly. It includes a genetic mutation of the “spike” protein- meaning it is more easily transmitted among people.
Scientists have attributed this variant to the recent super spread of the virus.
However, the virus has not been found to be resistant to the vaccines, of which a dummy run has begun in the country today. The largest mass immunisation programme is set to be carried out in four states- Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, and Assam for trials and upon success will be extended to all.
