COVID-19 vaccine: PM Modi reviews status, says it should be affordable; details

When COVID-19 vaccination arrives, the first step will be to identify vulnerable groups and prioritise them for early vaccination. Image: Reuters

Coronavirus vaccine status reviewed by PM Modi! In a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that took place on Tuesday, all the preparations that are being done for the Coronavirus vaccine have been reviewed for the time the vaccine will be available in markets. The Prime Minister also looked at the current status of vaccines in India for COVID-19 vis-a-vis vaccines being developed in international markets, news agency PTI reported. The responsibility of India and its commitment to the global community will play an important role in the global vaccination effort in the fight against Coronavirus, the report added, citing Modi as saying.

Discussing how to provide vaccination to people, whenever it is available, the report highlighted four guiding principles laid down by the government. These principles are expected to form the foundation of this national effort. When COVID-19 vaccination arrives, the first step will be to identify vulnerable groups and prioritise them for early vaccination. These vulnerable groups include all the healthcare workers- doctors, nurses and others working in healthcare facilities, non-medical frontline workers as well vulnerable people among the general population, The second step will be to provide the vaccination to anyone, anywhere.

Highlighting the third principle Indian government is focusing on, the PTI report mentioned vaccination should be affordable and universal. The last principle is to monitor and support the procedure of vaccination (from production to vaccinating people) in real time with the help of technology.

Along with this four-pronged approach for Coronavirus vaccination in India, Modi has also directed many officials to evaluate technology tools that will enable timely and efficient vaccination. According to the report, he has also ordered a detailed planning of large scale vaccination.

In India, Bharat Biotech India Ltd’s covid-19 vaccine ‘Covaxin’ received an approval from the Drug Controller General of India to enter human trials. Currently, the vaccination candidate, which has been developed in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research’s National Institute of Virology (NIV), can conduct phase one and two of clinical trials in India. Meanwhile, the number of Coronavirus cases has been soaring across the country with a total count of positive cases reaching 5.85 lakh.