Coronavirus live updates: India expected to have Covid vaccine in next few months, says Harsh Vardhan

"In continuation, it has since been decided that all central government offices shall ensure that every meeting commences with messages on Covid-19 related precautions, so as to sensitise officers and staff about the pandemic," said the order issued on Wednesday.

Health officials and medical groups are urging people to get either the flu shot or nasal spray, so that doctors and hospitals don't face the extra strain of having to treat influenza in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

​​​"It's a pandemic: go after the virus, not the vulnerable," said Ghebreyesus on Twitter. In another tweet, he said, "Shanti" (peace). Interestingly, the WHO Director-General tweeted in Hindi. Earlier, in a video message, the Director-General urged the countries to opt for "case finding, isolation, testing, compassionate care, contact tracing, quarantine, physical distancing, hand hygiene, masks, respiratory etiquette, ventilation, avoiding crowds and more" instead of herd immunity.

India's Covid-19 tally of cases climbed to 73.07 lakh with 67,735 new cases in a day, while 63,83,441 people have recuperated so far pushing the national recovery rate to 87.35 per cent on Thursday, according to the Union health ministry data.