Covid vaccine rollout from January 16

 India’s much-awaited Covid-19 vaccination drive will commence from January 16, once the forthcoming festivals such as Lohri, Makar Sankranti, Pongal and Magh Bihu get over, an official statement said on Saturday.

The decision was taken at a meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a detailed and comprehensive review of the Covid-19 situation in the country and preparedness to roll out the vaccination drive. The meeting was attended among others by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, the Principal Secretary to the PM and Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan.

“On January 16, India takes a landmark step forward in fighting Covid-19. Starting that day, India’s nation-wide vaccination drive begins. Priority will be given to our brave doctors, healthcare workers, frontline workers including Safai Karamcharis,” the Prime Minister tweeted.

In the first phase, the plan is to inoculate nearly 1 crore healthcare workers, 2 crore frontline workers and another 27 crore people who are either above 50 years of age or suffering from co-morbidities which would make them vulnerable.

The Centre together with the States carried out two rounds of nationwide vaccination dry runs. The latest one conducted on Friday covered 4,895 session sites in 615 districts in 33 States and Union Territories.

Meanwhile, speaking at the inauguration of the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) convention through video conference, Modi said India is ready with two ‘Made in India’ Covid-19 vaccines to protect humanity from the virus and the new systems put in place by the country to fight the pandemic has been appreciated by global institutions.

“Being the pharmacy of the world, India has already taken up the responsibility of sending essential medicines to all those in need around the world and is continuing to do so. Today, the world is not just waiting for India’s vaccines, but is also keen to watch how the country implements the largest vaccination programme in the world,” Modi said.