Guwahati: Frontline workers, elderly to get Covid shots first

GUWAHATI: Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said the Centre has asked the state to prepare for the first Covid-19 vaccination anytime between January and July next year.
“We have prioritized two category of recipients — frontline health workers and those above 60 years — to administer the first dose. The vaccines will be from multiple sources, including the Russian-made and one being developed by Bharat Biotech,” Sarma said.
Two weeks ago, Sarma had written to Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan to expedite the process for human testing of vaccine within a defined time frame. Sarma on Tuesday said, “It is not human trial now but vaccination with the final vaccines. This is what the Centre has told us.”
He added, “The Government of India has been convening meetings with us to take vaccination programme from January to July next year and we have been asked to be ready,” Sarma said.
Sarma said the health ministry held several consultations through video-conference with the state government to undertake vaccination between January and July, 2021. He added that vaccination will be carried out with a mix of vaccines instead of a single one.