08:28 (IST)
India will enter ‘decisive phase with world’s vaccination programme: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country would enter a “decisive phase” in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
“Tomorrow, 16 January, India begins the pan-India rollout of COVID-19 vaccination drive. The launch will take place at 10:30 am tomorrow morning,” he tweeted.
His office had said this will be the world’s largest vaccination programme covering the entire length and breadth of the country and all preparations are in place to initiate it on the principles of ‘Jan Bhagidari’.
Tomorrow, 16th January, India begins the pan-India rollout of COVID-19 Vaccination drive.
The launch will take place at 10:30 AM tomorrow morning. https://t.co/zopwtXPmZO
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 15, 2021
08:26 (IST)
Inoculation drive ‘beginning of end’ of pandemic: Harsh Vardhan
On the eve of the roll-out, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan reviewed the preparations and visited the dedicated COVID-19 control room set up at the Nirman Bhawan premises of the health ministry.
The vaccination drive has been planned in a phased manner, identifying priority groups. Healthcare workers, both in government and private sectors including ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services) workers, will receive the vaccine during this phase, the health ministry said in a statement. Vardhan said India’s exercise to vaccinate its population against COVID-19 shall be the largest immunisation drive of the world.
He reiterated that both the indigenously manufactured vaccines—Covishield by Serum Institute of India and Covaxin of Bharat Biotech—have proven safety and immunogenicity records and are the most important tools to contain the pandemic.
Speaking at a separate programme, Vardhan said, “Tomorrow is an important day… it is the last phase of the battle against coronavirus. I say, this is probably the beginning of the end of COVID now which is going to start tomorrow.” He, however, cautioned that even if the vaccination drive is on, there should not be lowering of guard and people must follow COVID-19-appropriate behaviour.
08:24 (IST)
Over 3 lakh healthcare workers to get vaccinated today
India is all set to roll out the world’s biggest vaccination programme on Saturday, with over 3 lakh healthcare workers to be inoculated on the first day of the much-anticipated drive, which the government said is “probably the beginning of the end” of COVID-19.
A total of 3,006 session sites across all states and Union territories will be virtually connected during the launch at 10.30 am by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and around 100 beneficiaries will be vaccinated at each session site.
Coronavirus Vaccine India LATEST Updates: A day before a massive countrywide vaccination drive against coronavirus is set to commence, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday said the step is “probably the beginning of the end” of COVID-19.
Speaking at the 146th India Meteorological Department (IMD) foundation day, he, however, cautioned that even if the vaccination drive is on, there should not be lowering of guard and people must follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.
“Tomorrow is an important day…it is the last phase of the battle against coronavirus. I say, this is probably the beginning of the end of COVID now which is going to start tomorrow,” Vardhan, who is also Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Minister, said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch India’s COVID-19 vaccination drive on 16 January via video conferencing.
This will be the world’s largest vaccination programme covering the entire length and breadth of the country and all preparations are in place to initiate the programme.
A total of 3,006 session sites across all states and Union territories will be virtually connected during the launch and around 100 beneficiaries will be vaccinated at each session site on the first day.
The vaccination programme is based on principles of priority groups to be vaccinated first. Healthcare workers, both in the government and private sectors, including Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) workers, will receive the vaccine during this phase.
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had earlier this month approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country, paving the way for a massive inoculation drive.