25-30 crore Indians to be administered with Covid-19 vaccine by September 2021: Harsh Vardhan

23-Nov-2020

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Monday said that 25-30 crore Indians will be administered with coronavirus vaccine by September next year. In an exclusive interview to AajTak and India Today over India's vaccination road map, Dr Harsh Vardhan said India will get a vaccine in the first three months of 2021. He said that of the total 250 vaccine candidates in the world, 30 are looking for India and five are in clinical trial phase in India. "Vaccine efficacy and safety are the two most important agenda for government," he said. On who will get vaccinated first, Harsh Vardhan said that a list of the data of health workers is getting prepared and will be uploaded so that they are the first to be administered with a coronavirus vaccine. Front line workers such as the police, paramilitary, those involved in sanitisation and those above 65 years in age will also be the first ones to get vaccinated in India. The second group in line to get vaccine shots will include those above 50 years in age and comorbidity patients, Harsh Vardhan said.

Centre to Delhi's rescue
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Regarding the increasing Covid-19 cases in Delhi, the health minister said that Center intervened twice to bring the situation under control in the national capital. "All kinds of information was given to the Delhi government. The result has been that the risk of coronavirus has decreased now that we have interfered again. The emphasis is on increasing the Covid-19 tests," Vardhan said. He emphasised that with Delhi government, it is also the responsibility of the people of Delhi to help control the coronavirus spread. "Due to the negligence of some educated people, Delhiites are suffering. The capability of RT-PCR has been enhanced. Mobile testing vans are being launched. We are doing whatever we could," he said. Vardhan said coronavirus can be prevented by testing and tracing, which is needed immediately. "Tests should be done at super spreader places. Pollution is also a big problem in Delhi. I had already warned people. The problem has reduced in many states. We are in touch with all governments," Vardhan said.

Highest recovery rate in the world
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Harsh Vardhan said that even after witnessing the worst, India's recovery rate is highest in the world with over 85 lakh recovered Covid-19 patients out of the total 91 lakh confirmed cases in the country so far. He, however, added that the coronavirus situation in some cities is worrisome. "Coronavirus cases have increased lately. We warned people. People have been instructed to follow the basic protocol. The first case came on January 30, after which, we began contact tracing. Our teams are going everywhere," he said.