New Delhi: The COVID-19 vaccination drive In India will begin from January 16, the government said on Saturday evening.
The Prime Minister chaired a high-level meeting to review the status of COVID-19 in the country along with the preparedness of the State/UTs for COVID vaccination, today. The meeting was attended by Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary to PM, Health Secretary, and other senior officials concerned.
The Prime Minister took a detailed and comprehensive review of the status of COVID management covering various issues.
The PM was also briefed about the preparedness status of the Centre in close collaboration with the State and UT governments for roll out of the vaccine in the near future.
Priority will be given to the healthcare workers and the frontline workers, estimated to be around three crore in number, the government said, adding that this will be followed by those above 50 years of age, and the under-50 population groups with co-morbidities. An estimated 27 crore people fall under this category.
Worth mentioning, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on January 3 had granted restricted emergency use authorisation to the Serum Institute of India (SII)’s ‘Covishield’ and Bharat Biotech’s ‘Covaxin’ vaccine.
