Panaji, An Indian Navy chopper showered rose petals over health workers, especially frontline staff at the Goa Medical College, the state's biggest hospital and a quarantine facility for Covid-19 patients, as part of a nationwide drive by the country's armed forces to show solidarity with the Covid-19 medical staff.

Speaking on the occasion, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said, that the act by the Indian Navy of showering rose petals over the hospital workers, including Covid-19 frontline workers, would boost their morale to combat the viral pandemic.

"It is a day of joy that Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard have facilitated this. This is such an emotional and encouraging step which has never been experienced before. This felicitation of our medical professionals and frontline workers in the war against Covid-19 gives us great encouragement," Rane told reporters after the flypast.

Commenting on Goa being declared as a Covid-free 'green zone', Rane said: "Now that Goa has been declared a green zone, our challenge really starts now".