COVID-19 vaccination for all not possible right now. Centre explains why
- The basic aim is to reduce death through vaccination. The other aim is to protect your healthcare system, said health secretary
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Business News/ News / India/ COVID-19 vaccination for all not possible right now. Centre explains why
In the wake of ongoing demand from several quarters that COVID-19 vaccination should be open to all those above 18 years, the Centre on Tuesday cleared its stand on inoculation drive. During a weekly press conference, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that the aim of nationwide coronavirus vaccination is to protect those who are most vulnerable.
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"The basic aim is to reduce death through vaccination. The other aim is to protect your healthcare system. If healthcare workers, doctors, nurses, paramedics and others fall sick, who will work in hospitals? So the aim, for any country, is to protect those who are the most vulnerable. The aim is never to administer the vaccine to those who want it but to those who need it," Bhushan said.
Fallacy that vaccination process controlled by state, current phase for vulnerable sections, we are following a dynamic supply-demand mapping model, Bhushan clarified later, according to ANI.
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NITI Aayog member (ealth) Dr V K Paul said the narrative has to be seen in a scientific way.
So far, nobody doing vaccine research has shown that if given on this scale, it leads to herd immunity, he said, adding that it is not yet scientifically proven.
"What we know so far is that all vaccines that are being used, including the two being used in ,India reduce mortality, severity of the disease, protect lives and keeping that in mind priority groups have been decided," Dr Paul said.
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He said that priority groups have been decided who are vulnerable to mortality. "Because history will only remember how many deaths have taken place. Globally, vaccine is finite," Dr Paul underlined.
The doctors' body said that "we request following suggestions in the COVID-19 vaccination drive — all citizens above 18 years of age shall be permitted to receive COVID vaccination and walk-in COVID vaccination should be available for all, free of cost at their nearest possible place".
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Maharashtra counterpart Uddhav Thackeray on Monday also requested Modi to relax the age limit for the vaccination.
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