Healthcare workers, people aged above 65 will be given priority for COVID vaccine: Harsh Vardhan

ting that it is natural to prioritise COVID-19 vaccine distribution, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday said healthcare workers and people d above 65 will be early recipients when a vaccine becomes available.

dressing a webinar organised by FICCI FLO on ' Shifting Healthcare Parigm During and Post-Covid', Vardhan said COVID-19 vaccine will be available in next few months and it is estimated that by July-August 400-500 million doses will be me available for 25-30 crore people.

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"It is natural vaccine distribution would have to be prioritised. As you kw healthcare workers who are corona warriors y will be prioritised, n people who are above 65 years of y have been prioritised, n those from 50-65 years of have been prioritised," he said. "n those below 50 years who have or diseases. It is all being decided by experts with a scientific point of view. We have me a very detailed, meticulous plan on this. What we would have to do in March-April next year, we have started planning for it from w only," Vardhan ded. minister said one can protect oneself from this dely virus with small precautions like wearing a good quality mask properly, maintaining social distance and taking care of hand-hygiene.

India has initiated an integrated response against COVID-19 pandemic: Union minister Harsh Vardhan

India's caselo and vaccine update

India's coronavirus caselo mounted to 89,58,483 on Thursday with 45,576 infections being reported in a day, while death toll climbed to 1,31,578 with 585 new fatalities. phase-3 trial of Oxford vaccine of Serum Institute is almost near completion, while phase-3 clinical trial of indigeusly-developed vaccine candidate of Bharat Biotech and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has alrey started.

Dr Reddy's Laboratories will soon start combined phase-2 and phase-3 clinical trials of Russian COVID-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, in India. Also, Biological E Limited has started early phases 1 and 2 human trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE said ir vaccine candidate was found to be more than 95 per cent effective in preventing COVID-19, while Moderna on Monday said its vaccine candidate against COVID-19 found it to have an efficacy of 94.5 per cent. 

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