New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met on Tuesday (November 24) with the top ministers of the 8 states most affected by COVID-19 and during the meeting, the states informed Prime Minister Modi that they are taking steps to distribute the COVID vaccine -19 once received available in India. Most of the chief ministers informed the prime minister that they are preparing a strong cold chain infrastructure and some said they have already started the process to identify the people who will receive the vaccine first.
During the meeting, the Union’s health secretary, Rajesh Bhushan, informed senior ministers that the Center plans to vaccinate front-line health workers in the first stage, followed by police personnel and sanitation workers and then those over 50 years old. People with comorbidity will be vaccinated in the fourth stage. Bhushan ordered the chief ministers to provide a database of people in these four categories.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Karnataka Interior Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the Center has instructed each state to establish a committee under the chairmanship of the CM and that the task of this committee will be to prepare a roadmap to provide vaccines in each district and town. “Vaccine delivery will be linked to a digital ID,” he said.
Uttar Pradesh Prime Minister Yogi Adityanath also attended the meeting and informed Prime Minister Modi that the BJP-led government in the state was establishing a cold chain maintenance infrastructure.
Rajasthan’s Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot informed Prime Minister Modi that his state is one of two states in India that were testing for COVID-19 at 100% using the RT-PCR method. Gehlot added that testing has increased from 18,000 samples per day to more than 30,000. Gehlot said that Rajasthan has already prepared the database of healthcare workers to administer the Covid vaccine.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said a task force had been set up in the state to manage the vaccination campaign. “We have been in contact with Adar Poonawala from the Serum Institute, who is producing the injection for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. However, there must be clarity about the vaccination schedule in terms of availability, quantity, side effects, cost, and distribution of the vaccine. Our working group will deliberate on all these aspects in the state, ”he said.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami said that three committees have been established in the state for the smooth implementation of vaccination. EPS added that a database of Covid frontline workers was also being prepared.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said her state was prepared for a Covid-19 vaccination program.
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“West Bengal is fully prepared with a skilled workforce and the necessary infrastructure, including cold chains for the vaccination program. We are ready to work with the Center and other stakeholders to ensure a rapid vaccination campaign for everyone as soon as the vaccine is available, ”said CM Banerjee.
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