In terms of economic losses, deaths and health-related implications, familial and psychological devastation, socio-political impacts and arising historical uncertainties, the pandemic COVID-19 has almost outdone the historic scar laden realities of the Second World War. The pandemic has brought down both the developed and developing nation states to their knees, policy makers scratching their frowns into possible preparations for a future incorporating reconstruction, revitalisation of economies and restoring normalcy and making everyone waiting for the magic initiation to the pre-Covid 19 life with the arrival of the ‘Vaccine’.
It is expected that the Government of India will start its mass vaccination programme by January-February 2021 with the vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca and manufactured by Pune based Serum Institute of India (SII). There are two more Indian vaccines that are in the trial stage. The offer of the Russian Gamalaya Institute to use its vaccine and manufacture the same in India is being examined by a major Indian pharmaceutical company. Pfizer is in touch with both Indian Government and major Indian Pharmaceutical companies. So is Moderna.
Ground situation is worsening. Notwithstanding the higher recovery rates and lower mortality percentage, increased tidal wave of infection is alarming. The states of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Delhi are badly affected and the medical efforts both on the ground and supplanted by the state governments are not enough. Fear of another tide can be really devastating. In such circumstances, the Government, especially the Ministry of Health, is on the war footing to control the spread, manage the need for more hospital beds, medical practitioners and personnel’s and work steadily for developing the vaccine and make a nation wide plan to reach the 1300 million population in stages.
Obviously, Government of India will use its existing UIP Universal Immunisation Programme which has excelled in our efforts to control Hepatitis B, Polio etc. Ministry of Health has already started the planning to use most of the vaccinators forming part of the UIP. At present UIP has about 2.40 lakh vaccinators. The plan will use most of them as well as volunteers and loan-based vaccinators from private hospitals. Then there is a need for cold storage facilities to create such bases all over the Country for smoothening the distribution facilities and stocks. At present there are about 28000 such Cold Storages under UIP. These facilities, at the first instance, can stock up to 70 million doses. Government is studying to add more facilities to increase this up to 150-200 million doses.
Then comes the selection criteria for initiating the process of vaccination. The numbers are huge. The country is diverse. Reach is physically and scientifically difficult but has to be managed. The first 30 to 50 million vaccinated ones will be the Covid warriors consisting of medical and hospital personnel, service sector population, military and army personnel and people above 50 years old having co-morbidities. In the next phase, it is to be expanded to cover the whole population. As on date, the completion of the process is expected to take more than 12-14 months.
Above are based on reports studied from the Ministry of Health , ICMR, Niti Aayog and other such bodies. Too much media coverage with blind prescriptive or speculative expressions has created fear psychosis among common people. Time has come for NGOs, social activists, parents, teachers and young enthusiasts to spread the message that the pandemic is there and can infect many, that all necessary precautions must be taken by one and all to contain the spread; that all must be informed about building up basic immunities and consulting right and trained medical professionals; that the time for arrival of the vaccine is near and one must not read and be influenced by the rumours or fallouts from the trial stage. Whether it is Emergency Regulatory Approval or approval under due process, Government and Ministries are acutely conscious and concerned about the full proof pandemic-curing vaccine that will be used in the national vaccination programme.
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