COVID vaccine drive: PM Modi spells out phase one of vaccine rollout

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on India's vaccination plan ahead of the mega Covid-19 vaccination drive on Monday, which is set to start on 16 January, 2021. Also Read | Serum Institute of India receives purchase order from Govt. of India PM Modi spoke after having an interaction with chief ministers of all states to discuss the Covid-19 situation and the vaccination roll-out in the country. PM Modi said, "I'm satisfied that we worked together by standing united in COVID crisis, quick decisions were taken with full sensitivity. As a result, COVID-19 has not spread in India on the scale, on which it spread anywhere else in the world," Adding, "Growing confidence among people in our COVID-19 fight has had positive impact on economic activities," He said that public representatives are not a part of 3-crore corona-warriors, frontline workers will be vaccinated first. "Around 3 crore healthcare workers and frontline workers will be vaccinated in the first phase of vaccination. In the 2nd phase, those above 50 years and those under 50 years with co-morbid conditions will be vaccinated," he stated. Adding, from 16th January we are starting the world's largest vaccination program. Two 'Made in India' vaccines have been given emergency use approval. He also said that coordination between Centre, states in fighting COVID-19 great example of federalism. Besides two already approved made-in-India vaccines, four more in pipeline to be rolled out in country, he added. In the interaction, two approved COVID-19 vaccines in India more cost-effective than foreign vaccines and have been developed as per our needs. "Only about 2.5 Cr. people vaccinated globally so far; We've to achieve vaccination of 30 crore citizens in next few months," Modi said. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zCiXeP8CDw&feature=youtu.be Centre, not states, will bear expenses for first-phase vaccination of 3 crore corona-warriors, frontline workers. Also Read | ‘PM Modi should take first shot of Covid-19 vaccine’: Political leader "If you look at the number of health & frontline workers across all states, it stands at around 3 crores. It has been decided that state governments will not have to bear the expenses of vaccination of these 3 crore people in the first phase. Govt of India will bear these expenses," PM Modi said. He said that we aim to vaccinate 30 crore citizens in next few months. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ava26nLGbos&feature=youtu.be On Saturday last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reviewed the status of COVID-19 and COVID vaccine vaccine preparedness across states and union territories. -PTC News