Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 6 (IANS): The Kerala unit of the Indian Medical Association on Monday pitched for the present lockdown to be extended by another three weeks, to save the gains of the present three weeks.

"We have been interacting with a wide range of experts from across the world and have come to this conclusion. We have had substantial gains in containing the spread of Covid-19, just because of the strong measures that were adopted. If the lockdown is lifted, then Kerala would see a huge influx of people from other states and abroad and this could be detrimental to us and hence the lockdown should be extended for another three weeks," state IMA president Abraham Varghese said in a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Meanwhile, the special task force, set up by Vijayan on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for suggestions, submitted its report in which it recommended that the lockdown should be lifted only partially and it should not happen in one go.

It recommended that there should be opening in certain sectors and this be done in a phased manner.