India to pick 300m for first vaccine jab
Priority for frontline health, sanitation workers, policemen and elderly people
India’s coronavirus infections rose by another 62,212 cases over the previous day and a local media report said yesteerday that the government had begun identifying about 300 million peoplewho would be given the vaccine first when it is ready.
The frontline health and sanitation workers, police officials and elderly people with co- morbidities will get the vaccine on priority, reports said.
The plan, which is still in the draft stage, aims to cover 23 per cent of the population in the first phase. The final plan is likely to be ready by end October- November.
Officials have said that giving the vaccine to India’s 1.3 billion people will be a mammoth exercise, likely to stretch well into 2022.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the situation and the preparedness of vaccine delivery, distribution and said that access to vaccines should be ensured speedily once they are ready keeping in view the geographical span and diversity of the country.
SputnikV trials
He noted the steady decline in the daily Covid- 19 cases and growth rate and stressed that every step in the logistics, delivery, and administration concerning vaccine should be put in place rigorously.
Dr Reddy’s Laboratories said it along with Russian Direct Investment Fund ( RDIF) has received approval from the Drug Control General of India to conduct phase 2/ 3 human clinical trials for vaccine Sputnik V in India.—
India is identifying 300 million people who will receive the initial dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to health officials as reported yesterday.
Priority will be given to workers in high- risk sectors such as police, health- care, sanitation, elderly people and those with co- morbidities, the report by Times of India said, citing officials it didn’t identify. The shots, which will include a booster dose, are planned for the initial phase once a vaccine is approved for use, according to the report.
The plan was revealed even as the active Covid- 19 caseload in the country fell below 800,000 for the first time in nearly 45 days and stood at only 10.7 per cent of the total number of cases, the health ministry said yesterday.
For a country of its size, a safe and quick vaccine delivery is a top priority for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration.
The nation’s broken healthcare system, already struggling to deliver adequate care before the outbreak, cannot cope with the strain of a prolonged pandemic.
The beneficiaries of vaccine in the first phase will receive an estimated 600 million doses and implementation plan aims to cover over 23 per cent of the population, according to the report.
Meanwhile, calling for full preparedness to ensure speedy access to Covid- 19 vaccines for every citizen, Modi yesterday suggested developing a vaccine delivery system on the lines of conduct of polls and disaster management while involving all levels of government and citizen groups.
Steady decline
Chairing a meeting to review the Covid- 19 pandemic situation and the preparedness of vaccine delivery, distribution, and administration, the prime minister also noteda steady decline in the daily cases and the growth rate. At the same time, he also cautioned against any complacency at the decline and called for keeping up the efforts to contain the pandemic.
He insisted on continued social distancing and Covid appropriate behaviour such as wearing the mask, regularly washing hands and sanitation, especially in the wake of upcoming festival season.