After the successful attempt of the second phase of the Covid vaccination in India, the process is now likely to move forward to its third phase, as per to the Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. The national vaccination programme against coronavirus was started on January 16, 2021, in India. The vaccine is capable of fighting against the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that is responsible for coronavirus which emerged from China and spread across the world, including India.
Covid Vaccination 3rd Phase To Begin Probably In March
On Friday, the Union Health Minister of India made an announcement in the Lok Sabha where he stated that the 3rd phase of Covid-19 vaccination is about to begin, most probably in the month of March. In this phase of the vaccination, people who are aged 50 years and above will be vaccinated. In addition, people who are under 50 years and have the medical condition ‘comorbidities’, will also be vaccinated in this phase. Overall, it has been estimated that this phase may cover 27 crore people in India.
In the initial stages of the national vaccination programme in India which started on January 16, the healthcare and frontline workers were the ones who were vaccinated first. It has been stated by the health officials that in India 4,959,445 vaccine doses were distributed across the country as of February 4.
The Union Health Minister also stated that around 5 million people in the country have been vaccinated as of now. He also added that the immunization drive for the frontline workers has been started this week.
Harsh Vardhan made these statements in the duration of Question Hour in Lok Sabha on Friday while replying to the questions that were put up regarding the vaccines and the vaccination drive in India.
After the accomplishment of the 1st and 2nd phases of vaccination, the third phase possibly will be “launched from any week next month,” the Union Health Minister said. He further added that the third phase is going to cover people who are more than 50 years of age.
Harsh Vardhan also stated that the finance minister has allotted Rs 35,000 crore for vaccination in the Budget along with a reassurance that it may possibly be increased if there will be such requirement.
Right now, Serum Institute’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, are the two vaccines that have been permitted for emergency use sanction, however, in addition, there are seven other vaccines from India –to fight coronavirus– are also in progress, Harsh Vardhan said.
Additionally, India has also received requests for the vaccines from other 22 different countries including Mauritius, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Egypt, Afghanistan, South Africa, UAE, among many. The vaccines have been already sent to 15 countries via grant assistance as well as contracted doses, The Health Minister added.
However, a particular date has been not provided by the Union Health Minister but he gave an estimated time period when the third phase of the vaccination may start and that was in the second to fourth week of March.
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