Covid-19 Vaccine update: India may get its first immunisation shot in January 2021, says Harsh Vardhan

As the centre ramps up its preparedness for Covid-19 vaccination drive, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan informed that Indians may get its first COVID-19 vaccine shot in January 2021.

Speaking to news agency ANI, the Health Minister further said, that they are giving priority to the effectiveness of the vaccines to come to the market and will not do any compromise on that. “In any week of January, we will be in a position to administer first our COVID-19 vaccine shot .” he further affirmed

The minister said that the vaccines that have applied for emergency use authorization to DCGI are being analysed with seriousness.

When asked about how prepared India is for one of the largest the immunisation drive, he said that the union government has formed task forces at all state, district and block levels where thousands of master trainers are already trainer to handle the vaccination drive. Every centre will consist of a team of four people. The union minister further informed that more 20, 000 medical workers have been trained in 260 districts. CoWin, the digital platform for vaccination will track every beneficiary and generate a digital certificate after the completion of the second dose. ”

Talking about priority list for first phase vaccination, he minister said after consultations with experts, 30 crore people have been put on the list. The priority list includes health care workers, military and sanitation staff, police officers on COVID duty. People belonging to the age group above 50 years and those suffering from certain diseases are also on the government’s priority list.

Emphasising on India inching close to ‘atmanirbharta’ or self-reliance, he said the country’s coronavirus vaccine capabilities are at part with the rest of the world. Currently, human trials of six vaccines are underway in the country or are in different phases of development.

DGCI’s subject expert committee is examining three COVID-19 vaccine candidates: Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN, Pfizer-BioNTech and Serum Institute of India’s Covisheild for emergency use authorisation.