Politics over PM Modi's vaccination decisions; Congress claims ownership, says PM met party's demand
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that the state government, acting upon the opinion of experts, had written several times to the Prime Minister requesting him to issue these guidelines
FollowCongress party on Saturday claimed ownership for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to start vaccinating children aged between 15 and 18 from January 3 and frontline workers and those aged above 60 with co-morbidities from January 10. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that the state government, acting upon the opinion of experts, had written several times to the Prime Minister requesting him to issue guidelines regarding booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine and vaccine for children.
Gehlot said he was happy that by announcing of booster dose and vaccination of children between 15 years and 18 years, Prime Minister Modi had accepted the party's demand. Gehlot further said that in a letter to Prime Minister Modi, the party had urged that in view of the spread of infection due to the Omicron variant, policy and guidelines should be issued soon for health workers, frontline workers and citizens above 60 years of age to take booster doses.
Also Read: PM's Address to the Nation: India to start vaccinating children aged 15-18 from January 3
Stating that cases of Omicron have been reported in 16 states and Union Territories of India, Gehlot said that the Prime Minister had been urged to make it necessary that health workers, frontline workers and citizens above 60 years of age, who had been given both doses of the vaccine over 6 months ago, should be given booster doses at the earliest.
The World Health Organization has also expressed the need for a booster dose in view of the Omicron variant, he said, adding that the facility of vaccination for citizens below 18 years of age should also be made available in all the states. Asserting that vaccine and covid protocols are the only way to fight the virus, the Rajasthan Chief Minister said that everyone must understand the seriousness of Covid-19 and get themselves vaccinated and ensure strict adherence to the guidelines during the holiday season.
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