New Delhi, January 05: Paving the way for mass vaccination in the country, the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday announced that it is preparing to roll out the world’s biggest inoculation drive against the coronavirus by 13 January.
"We are prepared to roll out Covid-19 vaccines within 10 days of granting emergency use authorisation date, based on dry run feedback," said Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan at a press conference.
Bhushan further informed that there are four primary vaccine stores called GMSD located in Karnal, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata and there are 37 vaccine stores in the country. The vaccine will be stored in bulk and distributed further from here, he added.
The facility including the number of vaccines stored and temperature trackers is monitored digitally. We have this facility for over a decade in the country," Bhushan said.
As per the government, the vaccine will be first offered to one crore healthcare workers, along with two crore frontline and essential workers and 27 crore elderly, mostly above the age of 50 years with co-morbidities. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had announced that one crore healthcare workers, along with two crore frontline will get the vaccine for free.
For further vaccination process, the central government has introduced an application named Co-WIN (Covid Vaccine Intelligence Work).
India has the second-highest number of infections in the world, after the US. With 16,278 fresh Covid-19 cases, India's caseload now stands at 10,357,569.
It came after DCGI on 3 January gave approval to 2 vaccines Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield manufactured by Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin - against coronavirus infection - for restricted emergency use.
The decision was applauded by WHO. Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also lauded India's "decisive action" and "its resolve to end COVID-19 pandemic." Tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the WHO chief said that as the world's largest vaccine producer, "India is well placed to do so."
Moreover, Microsoft founder and former CEO Bill Gates also hailed India’s leadership in scientific innovation and vaccine manufacturing capability to fight the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
