Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is holding a meeting with chief ministers of all states to review the Covid-19 vaccine rollout plan set to begin this week, said in the meeting that India will begin "world's largest vaccination program" from January 16.
PM Modi said that two "Made in India" vaccines have been given emergency use approval. The government has prepared a priority list for vaccination that is headed by one crore health workers and two crore frontline workers like the police, civil defence personnel and sanitation workers, for whom the vaccines will be free.
India has authorised two Covid-19 vaccines - indigenous Bharat Biotech's Covaxin or even the Oxford-Astra Zeneca & Serum Institute of India vaccine Covishield for emergency use. The first phase of the Covid-19 vaccination drive is expected to start by January 16 with health care workers, frontline workers and the elderly.
The meeting, being held virtually, is aimed at reviewing the coordination between Centre and the states and to ensure efficient delivery of vaccination and efficient management of drive. The meeting is also being attended by Home Minister Amit Shah.
First corona warriors will be vaccinated followed by front line workers
On vaccine distribution, PM Modi said that first corona warriors will be vaccinated, followed by front line workers.
"Health workers, government as well as private, will be vaccinated first of all. Sanitation workers, other frontline workers, defence forces, police and other paramilitary forces will also be vaccinated in the first phase," PM Modi said during his interacts with CMs of all states.
"We are now in a decisive stage and from January 16, we are starting world's largest vaccination drive. Two vaccines got emergency use approval and four more [vaccines] are in the process. For the second phase, probably we will have more vaccines," PM Modi said in the meeting with chief ministers
The prime minister added that the call for vaccination process to begin as been taken after "scientific validation" and their final opinion.
He also said that both the vaccines -- Covishield and Covaxin -- are "more cost-effective", adding that dependency on foreign vaccines could have been costly for us.
3 crore people will get vaccines absolutely free and states will not have to bear cost
PM Modi further said that the priority category for vaccination program was decided after deliberation with states, i.e. health workers, sanitation workers, police, paramilitary, civil defence, all of whom are around 3 crore in total.
These 3 crore people will get vaccines absolutely free and states will not have to bear the cost, PM Modi said, adding that the aim is to vaccinate 30 crore people in the next few months.
PM Modi also urged states and Union Territory to "kill rumours" and fake news and stressed on ensuring that politicians don't jump the queue and take the vaccine only when their turn comes.
"All States and UTs must ensure that rumours around the vaccination programme are not allowed to spread. Corporate competition and vested interests of certain lobbies within and outside country may be at work to fuel the rumours," PM Modi said.
