Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched one of the most ambitious and complex nationwide campaigns of history. At 10:30, PM started India’s vaccination drive against novel coronavirus via video conferencing.
Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan was at AIIMS to witness the launch of the vaccination programme by the PM.
Normally, it takes many years to make a vaccine but in such a short span of time, not one, but two ‘Made in India’ vaccines are ready. Meanwhile, the work on other vaccines is progressing at a fast pace: PM Narendra Modi#Coronavirus #Vaccine pic.twitter.com/kW1YYoO0CS
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Delhi: Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan reaches AIIMS to witness the launch of the vaccination programme by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.#PMModi #coronavirusindia #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/5OX5a7fvGs
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Billed as the world’s largest vaccination program, covering the entire length and breadth of the country, the drive aims to first inoculate millions of its healthcare and frontline workers and reach an estimated 3 crore people by the end of its first phase.
A total of 3006 session sites across all states and union territories will be virtually connected during the launch. Around 100 beneficiaries will be vaccinated at each session site on the inaugural day.
In the first phase government and private sector health care workers, including Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) workers, will receive the vaccine.
The drive will be held daily from 9 am to 5 pm, except on the days earmarked for routine immunization programmes.
In the next phases of the vaccination drive, people aged over 50, and those who are below 50 years but have serious health conditions or co-morbidities will be vaccinated, according to the health ministry.
Dry-runs at vaccination centres across the country have been held with lakhs of healthcare staff across districts being trained.
The drugs regulatory body of India has currently approved two vaccines. Pune-based Serum Institute of India has developed the Covishield vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University while the Covaxin has been developed by Hyderabad’s Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Medical Council of research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology.
Also read: COVID-19 | Top 10 Developments In India This Saturday Morning
The vaccination programme in the country will use Co-WIN (Covid Vaccine Intelligence Work), an online digital platform developed by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which will facilitate real-time information of vaccine stocks, storage temperature, and individualized tracking of beneficiaries for COVID-19 vaccine. This digital platform will assist programme managers across all levels while conducting vaccination sessions.
While addressing the nation, PM said, “Such a vaccination drive at such a massive scale was never conducted in history. There are over 100 countries having less than 3 crore population & India is administering vaccination to 3 crore people in the first phase only. In the second phase, we’ve to take this number to 30 crores.”
Such a vaccination drive at such a massive scale was never conducted in history. There are over 100 countries having less than 3 crore population & India is administering vaccination to 3 crore people in first phase only. In second phase, we’ve to take this number to 30 crores:PM pic.twitter.com/9k9y1NCqXj
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) January 16, 2021
He also urged people to wear masks and to maintain social distancing. “I request you not to make the mistake of taking off the mask and not maintaining social distancing after getting the first dose because immunity develops after the second dose.”
I request you not to make the mistake of taking off the mask and not maintaining social distancing after getting the first dose because immunity develops after the second dose: PM Narendra Modi#PMModi #Coronavirus #vaccine India pic.twitter.com/kgS3bNyAUE
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) January 16, 2021
(With ANI inputs)