Centre will bear cost of Covid vaccines in 1st phase: Modi
Says health workers, sanitation workers, frontline workers, defence forces will be vaccinated in phase 1
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that Centre will bear the expenses for the first phase of Covid-19 vaccination, which will begin on January 16.
“Centre, not states, will bear expenses for first-phase vaccination of three crore corona warriors and frontline workers,” PM Modi said after a meeting with chief ministers where he discussed the Covid-19 situation in states and preparedness for the vaccination programme.
The Prime Minister said that health workers - government as well as private - sanitation workers, other frontline workers, defence forces, police and other paramilitary forces will be vaccinated in the first phase.
“In the second phase, those above 50 years and those under 50 years with co-morbid conditions will be vaccinated,” he added.
After the review meeting, PM Modi said that the country’s scientists and medical experts have taken all precautions to provide our citizens with effective vaccines. He also urged the citizens of the country to keep taking precautions even after vaccine has been taken.
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that Centre will bear the expenses for the first phase of Covid-19 vaccination, which will begin on January 16.
“Centre, not states, will bear expenses for first-phase vaccination of three crore corona warriors and frontline workers,” PM Modi said after a meeting with chief ministers where he discussed the Covid-19 situation in states and preparedness for the vaccination programme.
The Prime Minister said that health workers - government as well as private - sanitation workers, other frontline workers, defence forces, police and other paramilitary forces will be vaccinated in the first phase.
“In the second phase, those above 50 years and those under 50 years with co-morbid conditions will be vaccinated,” he added.
After the review meeting, PM Modi said that the country’s scientists and medical experts have taken all precautions to provide our citizens with effective vaccines. He also urged the citizens of the country to keep taking precautions even after vaccine has been taken.
India’s drugs regulator recently approved two vaccines - Oxford-AztraZeneca’s Covishield and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech - for restricted emergency use in the country. On Saturday last week, PM Modi had reviewed the status of Covid-19 and vaccine preparedness across states and union territories at a high-level meeting. He said that the two approved vaccines more cost-effective than foreign vaccines “and have been developed as per our needs”.
Ahead of the first phase of Covid-19 vaccination drive in the country starting from January 16, the Prime Minister said India has worked in an exemplary manner to showcase federalism in the fight against the pandemic and proper dialogue between Centre and states played a major role in it. The Prime Minister said 30 crore people will be vaccinated against Covid-19 in the next few months.
He said quick decisions were taken with full sensitivity and, as a result, Covid-19 has not spread in India on the scale on which it spread in some other parts of the world.
“The proper dialogue between Centre and states has played a major role in combating Covid-19. In the fight against the Covid-19, we have worked in an exemplary manner to showcase federalism. I’m satisfied that we worked together by standing united in Covid crisis, quick decisions were taken with full sensitivity,” the Prime Minister said.
He said India will start the world’s largest vaccination programme from January 16 and two Made in India vaccines have been given emergency use approval.
“We aim to vaccinate 30 crore people in the next few months. Around 3 crore healthcare workers and frontline workers will be vaccinated in the first phase of vaccination. In the second phase, those above 50 years and those under 50 years with co-morbid conditions will be vaccinated,” the Prime Minister said.
“Only about 2.5 crore people vaccinated globally so far; we have to achieve vaccination of 30 crore citizens in next few months,” the Prime Minister added. He also directed state authorities to ensure no rumours regarding vaccination get spread. “Social, religious groups need to be involved in this,” PM Modi said..