Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Harsh Vardhan on Friday asserted that there should not be any doubt regarding the efficacy and safety of the two vaccines being administered in India and informed the Lok Sabha that the COVID-19 vaccination drive will be extended in the coming days.
In a separate written reply, the Minister also said studies have shown that children in the age group of 0-14 are less affected by COVID-19.
Replying to a question by Congress leader Ravneet Bittu on apprehensions being expressed regarding the vaccines, Dr Harsh Vardhan said India has vaccinated close to four crore people and so far, the side effects of the vaccines has been recorded at 0.000432%.
“There should not be any misconception regarding the COVID-19 vaccines and the people should avail the facilities given by the government and get themselves vaccinated.” the Minister said. He added that the current process is a result of the effort put in the people in the ministry under the direction of the Prime Minister.
In response to another question from Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule about universal immunisation against COVID-19, the Minister said it is not scientifically necessary to vaccinate every person.
“Every vaccine doesn't require universal immunisation and all these priority groups whom we are vaccinating today like healthcare staff first and then senior citizens and people aged between 45 and 59 years, it will be extended in the coming days — all these are based on experts' opinion,” Dr. Harsh Vardhan said, adding that vaccination is a dynamic process just like the knowledge about the virus.
He said there is a well-defined group of experts called the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration (NEGVAC) decides on the priority groups based on scientific parameters.
Replying to question on Thalassemia patients by BJP MP Maneka Gandhi, Dr. Vardhan said not a single Thalassemia patient was deprived of blood during the COVID-19 pandemic period and it was given free of cost to these patients.
In response to a written question on the government’s COVID treatment plan for children in the age group of zero to 14 years, he said infection among children is mild and most of them remain asymptomatic.
“Hence no specific action plan has been formulated in the current response phase to minimise the adverse effects of COVID-19 on such children,” Dr. Harsh Vardhan said in the written reply.