India is all set to kick off the vaccination drive against the Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19 on the 16th of January 2021.
The Central Government on the 9th of January, officially released a press release regarding the biggest drive for COVID-19 vaccine.
The rollout of COVID-19 vaccine would provide priority to the healthcare workers and the frontline workers who are estimated to be around 3 crore, followed by those above 50 years of age and the under-50 population groups with co-morbidities numbering around 27 crores.
The Government has scheduled to start the drive just after the forthcoming festivals such as Lohri, Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Magh Bihu, among others.
Ahead of the drive, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday chaired a high-level meeting to review status of COVID-19 in the country along with preparedness of the State/UTs for COVID vaccination. The meeting was attended by Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary to PM, Health Secretary, and other senior officials.
During his 16th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas address earlier today, PM Modi said India is ready with two vaccines for the protection of humanity and the world is not only waiting for them but also watching how the country runs the globe’s biggest vaccination programme.
India’s drugs regulator recently approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and the indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country. Two dry runs of the vaccines have also been conducted across the country to understand the best way to administer them and plug loopholes in logistics and training.
Mr. Modi lauded India’s fight against COVID-19 and said we are among the countries with the lowest fatality rate and the highest recovery rate. He also said the way the country stood together during the pandemic was unparalleled. “Being the pharmacy of the world, India has supplied important medicines to all those in need in the world and continues to do so.
