Who Will Get It First, Who Will Have To Wait: All You Need To Know About Upcoming COVID Vaccine

COVID-19 vaccine will be first given to about one crore health workers from both the public and private sectors, and then to about two crore frontline workers, the Union Health Ministry said in its presentation at the all-party meet.

Frontline workers will include police, security personnel, municipal workers and other essential workers, the government said.

AFP (Representational Image)

In the third batch of vaccine receivers, the government plans to include 27 crore senior citizens.

Youths may have to wait till 2022

Earlier, World Health Organization¡¯s chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan said at a social media event of WHO that the wait for COVID-19 vaccine may get longer for young population who are in sound health. ¡°There will be a lot of guidance coming out, but I think an average person, a healthy young person might have to wait until 2022 to get a vaccine,¡± she said in mid of October.

Reuters

These details were reportedly shared by the Union health ministry during the all-party meeting that was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today.

Priority vaccination for health workers

Meanwhile, the Delhi government has started enrolling health workers for priority vaccination and asked all healthcare facilities (institutions, nursing homes, OPD clinics etc.) to send names of their staff.

The healthcare facilities have been asked to send their lists latest by midnight of December 5. This is applicable for both private and government-run facilities.

Representational image

Earlier in the day, chairing the all-party meeting on COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said experts believe that the wait for a Covid-19 vaccine will not be long and it may be ready in a few weeks. He asserted that the vaccination drive in India will begin as soon as scientists give the nod.

PM Modi's statement

PM Modi said healthcare workers involved in treating Covid-19 patients, frontline workers, who include police personnel and municipal staff, and old people suffering from serious conditions would be vaccinated on priority.

Noting that there have been questions about the price of the Covid-19 vaccine, he said it is natural to have such queries and asserted that public health will be accorded top priority in the matter and states will be fully involved.

File Photo

However, striking a note of caution, PM Modi referred to a fresh surge in COVID-19 cases in some countries and said no one knows what shape future will take as he called for adhering to "proven weapons" like use of masks and keeping social distance to keep the virus at bay.

The meeting also assumes significance as it is being held after Prime Minister Modi's visit to pharmaceutical companies in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Pune to review coronavirus vaccine development work there.