3 crore COVID front-liners to get free vaccine first; planning for 27 cr underway: Centre

In a massive boost to India’s fight against Coronavirus pandemic, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan anunced on Saturday that free COVID-19 vaccines will be provided to most prioritised beneficiaries in first phase of anti-virus iculation drive in country.

“In first phase of vaccination drive, free COVID-19 vaccines shall be provided across nation to most prioritised beneficiaries that include one crore healthcare workers and two crore frontline workers,” said Dr Harsh Vardhan in a tweet. He ded that details on how furr 27 crore priority beneficiaries are to be vaccinated until July are yet to be finalised.

Earlier during his interaction with media while reviewing dry run of vaccines in Delhi, Health Minister h confirmed that shots will t just be free in national capital, but all over India.

RE | 'It'll Be Free Across Country': Health Minister When Asked If Covid Vaccine Will Be Free

Covishield receives SEC d

anuncement comes just a day after India's drug regulator's special expert committee (SEC) recommended Oxford-AstraZeneca-Serum Institute 'Covishield' vaccine to Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for emergency use.

After receiving a final ascent from DCGI, this would pave way for vaccine's rollout in India, which is second-worst affected nation in world. More than 50 million doses of Covishield vaccine have alrey been stockpiled by its India manufacturer, Serum Institute of India (SII). India has also allowed import and export of Covid-19 vaccines without any value limitation. 

RE | Covishield Likeliest To Be India's Guard Against Covid: Kw All About Oxford Vaccine 

COVID-19 vaccine dry run underway in India

On Saturday, Dr Harsh Vardhan reviewed preparedness for mega vaccination dry run that has got underway in every state and Union Territory. Currently, a dry run of COVID-19 vaccination delivery system is being conducted in 116 districts across 259 sites in India. aim of dry run is to test links between planning and implementation and to identify challenges. 

This is second dry run being conducted in country, first major run-through was held on December 28 and 29 where Centre conducted vaccination drive in four states, namely - Assam, Andhra Presh, Punjab and Gujarat, which h gone off smoothly.

RE | India's COVID-19 Vaccine Dry Run Begins In All States, Day After Covishield Recommendation

India has recovered a total of 1,03,05,788 COVID-19 cases and 1,49,218 deaths till date. According to health ministry, number of people who have recuperated from disease has surged to 99,06,387, pushing national recovery rate to 96.12%, while COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45% Currently, re are 2,50,183 active coronavirus cases in country, which accounts for 2.43% of total caselo.

RE | Serum Institute's Vaccine Candidate 'Covishield' Gets SEC's Green Signal, Awaits DCGI d