Dr. Vinod Paul, NITI Aayog member and head of the COVID-19
Working group said on Friday that the government will inoculate 30 million people belonging to priority groups in the first phase of its vaccination campaign.
In the next 6 to 8 months, front-line workers, especially those working in healthcare and the elderly, will be targeted in the initial phase of vaccination. He added that 31 centers have been created to supply vaccines to 29,000 vaccination points in last mile delivery.
Speaking to CNBC-TV18, Dr. Paul said that much preparation has already been instituted across the country for the disbursement of COVID-19 vaccinations “We work as a team in India: industry, government and stakeholders. The government’s implementation arms are working in sync with each other. We are on the same page as the industry,” said Dr. Paul.
“India will seek vaccines for 300 million people,” he said, explaining that health workers across the country will be targeted in the immediate phase of vaccination. Preparation for the inoculation of other groups prioritized by the government is also in advanced stages, he added.
“Thirty-one vaccination centers have been established to supply vaccines to 29,000 vaccination points in last-mile delivery,” he said. “We view the vaccination effort as a comprehensive public health response. We want to minimize deaths related to COVID-19Therefore, we choose higher risk groups, “he added.
Dr Paul assured that storage capacity will increase in the future to ensure more comprehensive vaccination against COVID-19. “We want to make sure that the entire nation builds herd immunity. The ultimate goal is to stop the spread of the disease for which more extensive vaccination is required,” he said.
Commenting on the Serum Institute of India (SII) Covishield vaccine, Dr. Paul, we were at a turning point in the approval process. “The SEC will analyze the data from the Indian trials and from other countries,” he said.
The Central Medicines Control Organization (CDSCO) expert panel today recommended conditional approval of AstraZeneca and the Oxford University vaccine for emergency use, sources told News18.
Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan assessed readiness for the drill taking place in India today to administer COVID-19 vaccine.
“The objective of this exercise is that the smallest details are thoroughly investigated. At least 2 vaccines have submitted their requests to the drug controller and experts for approval, their data is being proactively studied. The lists of workers of the health have been created and will be uploaded to the Covid platform. As we prepare during the elections, in the same way we have to train each member of all medical teams in a responsible way, “said the Minister of Health during a meeting of Review with the Delhi government.
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