Government releases guidelines for Covid-19 vaccination plan, 300 million people to get vaccine shot in first round
India is planning to vaccinate 300 million people in the first round of the Covid-19 vaccination drive.
The Union Health Ministry and the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration have sent a document of 148 pages to State governments, district officials, and municipal commissioners asking them to get ground staff, logistics, and IT systems ready for carrying out the vaccination drive in India.
The CEO of SII Adar Poonawalla earlier this week had said that "In a first six months there will be a shortage of vaccination drive in India." So, at first, the vaccination drive is expected to be restricted to priority groups.
The vaccination will start with Covisheild that is manufactured by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII). The company has manufactured over 50 million doses as it anticipates emergency approval by Indian drug regulator.
Union government released guidelines for Covid-19 vaccination plan| 5 Points
- Healthcare workers (estimated 10 million) and frontline workers (estimated 10 million) will be on the priority list.
- Next on the priority list would be the people 50 years and above and then below 50 with comorbidities (estimated 270 million or more).
- According to the health ministry, the general population will get the vaccine doses based on disease epidemiology and availability of vaccines.
- A team would be tasked to run the program which will include 19 cabinet ministers in charge of defence to food and supplies.
- This team will be responsible for transportation of the vaccine, ensuring its reach to remote areas, and cold storage including other aspects of the vaccination drive.
