Covid-19 vaccination drive: Speeding up the jab to meet the target

The government’s Covid-19 vaccination drive, which began on January 16, has covered 6.2 million healthcare workers and 2.4 million frontline workers. India aims to inoculate 300 million over the next three months but needs to pick up the pace and vaccinate at least 3 million a day in the next three months, compared with about 350,000 a day now. ET examines how this can be done.

USE FIRST DOSES FOR MAXIMUM COVERAGE
The second dose is being given after 4 weeks in India. WHO has said the AstraZeneca-Oxford dose gap can be as much as 12 weeks, something the UK is doing. That would help cover more people and allow manufacturers to build capacity.

EXPAND HIGH-RISK GROUP COVERAGE
India should open up vaccination to other highrisk groups such as those above 60 and people with comorbidities. States such as Tamil Nadu have seen wastage as healthcare workers are hesitant.


EXPAND VAX SITES
Immunisation centres to be increased to 50k-75k. This should be hastened, perhaps by using stadiums, playing fields.

RELEASE COVAXIN DATA
ICMR should release phase-3 trial data of Covaxin regularly. Some states are refusing to deploy the jab till phase-3 trials are complete. Data on safety and efficacy can help build confidence.

SPEED UP NODS TO JABS
Three vaccines are in phase-3 trials in India. The subject expert committee should start looking at both local and global data and speed up approvals.

ROPE IN PVT HOSPITALS
The govt should allow private hospitals to vaccinate their own staff instead of asking them to get the jab at a particular site. This is among the reasons why healthcare workers are reportedly not getting vaccinated.

GET OUTSIDE EXPERTISE TO FIX CO-WIN
The govt should use the skills of India’s tech cos to sort out the problems with the Co-Win app that’s central to the inoculation campaign.