The Centre is planning to widen the scope of the COVID-19 immunisation drive by bringing more population groups under its ambit, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said today, days after everyone above 45 years was made eligible to get vaccinated from April 1.
“A few days ago, the government announced that from April 1 all citizens aged 45 years and above, whether having any comorbidity or not, will be eligible to get vaccinated. The government is already planning to widen the umbrella of COVID-19 vaccine beneficiaries soon to cover other sections of the population,” Vardhan said.
The Union Health Minister made these remarks during his keynote address on ‘Reshape Tomorrow Summit’ organised by The Economic Times, according to a health ministry statement.
“I have often called 2020 the year of science. A vaccine development process that used to take many years, often decades, has been condensed to about 11 months.
“Just in January last year, research started with a previously unknown virus and we now have not just one, but several vaccines that will be administered to millions of people before the end of the year with several other types of COVID-19 vaccines also on the way,” the minister said.
He said people have embraced the ‘Made in India’ vaccines, and it is due to this enthusiasm and trust that the country crossed the last one crore vaccination in just under four days.
The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers getting inoculated first and immunisation of frontline workers began from February 2.
The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination has commenced from March 1 for those who are over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified comorbid conditions.
Surjitt Sahani
