Chennai: Amidst fears of a growing mutant version of the Coronavirus, the government informed that India may begin vaccinating people for Covid-19 in January.
Speaking to reporters, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said, “I personally feel may be in January in any stage or any week, there can be a time when we can be in a position to give the first Covid vaccine shot to the people of India. India is not less than any country when it comes to Covid-19 vaccine and research. Our priority has been the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. We do not want any compromise on that. Our regulators are analysing them with seriousness”.
“Our scientists and health experts have worked on the development of a vaccine by genome sequencing and isolation of the coronavirus and developed an indigenous vaccine. In 6-7 months, we will have the capacity to inoculate about 30 crore people,” he said.
“After consultation with experts, we’ve prioritised 30 crore people for Covid vaccine. It includes health workers, frontline workers like police, military & sanitation staff, people above 50 years and those who are below 50 years but are suffering from certain diseases,” he added.
He had earlier said that the Covid shot is voluntary for the people of India.