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Agencies

Polio Vaccination Day Rescheduled to January 31 Amid India's Covid-19 Inoculation Drive on Saturday
14-January-2021

India on Thursday rescheduled the National Immunisation Day, under which polio drops are administered to all children under the age of 5, to January 31 amid countrywide rollout of Covid-19 vaccination drive on January 16.

"In view of this world's largest (Covid-19) immunisation exercise, it has been decided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in consultation with the office of the President of India to reschedule the Polio vaccination day, also known as National Immunisation Day (NID) or 'Polio Ravivar' to January 31, 2021 (Sunday)," Centre said in a statement.

On Saturday, the government is expecting to administer at least the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to all healthcare workers, estimated at one crore, over the next two months and start with frontline workers too. "We should be able to complete three crore healthcare and frontline workers over next three months," an official was quoted as saying in a media report.

The government has indicated that the vaccination programme may continue for up to a year or even more.