Vaccination drive that began with first priority group comprising front line health workers and high mortality rate people across the nation is about to finish the second phase. The second priority group as ordained by the government has 19 million elderly individuals of age 75 and above including essential health care workers for vaccination.
The vaccination programme began on January 16 in different phases. The Centre has reported 27 crore “priority beneficiaries” – those aged 50 or more and those with comorbidities – who would finish receiving vaccination by July 2021 and assured of having enough stockpile.
“In the first phase, the target was to vaccinate around one crore health workers of government and private clinics, which is happening swiftly. The second phase, meant to inoculate two crore frontline workers, has already begun in many states from February 2. After completing the two phases, the third phase is expected to begin in any time in March. In this phase, every citizen above the age of 50 will get vaccinated. The process will begin in any week of March,” stated Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said in Lok Sabha on Friday.
Paul, who is also the chairman of the National Expert Group On Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC), told that the government will soon declare further details to purchase and distribute the vaccines for general public.