COVID-19 vaccination: People above 50 years to be vaccinated from March, says Harsh Vardhan
Synopsis
“We are likely to start the third phase of vaccination for 50 years and above next month,” the minister said in reply to a question during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha on Friday. “It is not possible to give an exact date for this right now, but it could be the second, third or fourth week of March.”
New Delhi: India will begin inoculating people aged 50 and above against Covid-19 next month, health minister Harsh Vardhan said.
“We are likely to start the third phase of vaccination for 50 years and above next month,” the minister said in reply to a question during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha on Friday. “It is not possible to give an exact date for this right now, but it could be the second, third or fourth week of March.”
The vaccination drive in the country began on January 16.
“In the first phase, the target was to vaccinate around one crore health workers of government and private clinics, which is happening swiftly. The second phase, meant to inoculate two crore frontline workers, has already begun in many states from February 2. After completing the two phases, the third phase is expected to begin in any time in March. In this phase, every citizen above the age of 50 will get vaccinated. The process will begin in any week of March,” the minister said.
Harsh Vardhan said five million people in the country have already been vaccinated.
With adequate supplies of vaccines, it is possible that multiple priority groups may be covered simultaneously.
He further said so far 22 countries have asked India for the vaccine to be provided. "Of them, the government has provided 15 countries with the vaccine either as aid or through an agreement. Till February 1, 56 lakh doses of grant assistance and 105 lakh doses on contract basis have been sent to these nations," he said.
The countries include Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, UAE, Maldives, Morocco, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Algeria, Kuwait and South Africa, among others.