When will India open COVID-19 vaccination for all? What we know so far

Updated : April 12, 2021 12:11 PM IST

India is currently in its third phase of Covid-19 vaccination and has started vaccinating people above the age of 45.

With India reeling under the latest wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for expanding the coverage of the coronavirus vaccination programme is growing amid states imposing fresh curbs to break the chain. At present, the government has allowed the COVID-19 vaccination for those above the age of 45.

Recebtly, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggesting the need to "gearing up of COVID-19 vaccination drive with immediate effect and permit those above 18 years to receive vaccine".

A day earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to let people above 25 years of age to receive the COVID-19 jabs.

Before Maharashtra's Thackeray, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also urged the central government to start the vaccination drive at a mass scale for all age groups.

But the moot question is that if the centre agrees to expand the vaccination drive, do we have enough supply to meet the current demand?

What current vaccination trend speaks of?

India is currently in its third phase of COVID-19 vaccination and has started vaccinating people above the age of 45. In the first phase, which started on January 16, over 3.6 lakh beneficiaries comprising healthcare workers and frontline workers, were vaccinated in Delhi with two vaccines—Covishield (Oxford-AstraZeneca's vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India) and Covaxin (manufactured by Bharat Biotech Limited).

Jabs were given to persons aged 60 and above, and those in the 45-59 age bracket with comorbidities in the second phase.

If we look at the numbers, the cumulative number of anti-coronavirus vaccine doses administered in the entire country has crossed eight crore by April 5.

However, due to the sudden rise in the number of cases, experts are warning of vaccination shortage, which means the expansion may be difficult at this point.

It must be noted here that India has already decided to delay big vaccine exports for now, including the WHO-backed global vaccine alliance COVAX. According to a PTI report, Bharat Biotech's vaccine Covaxin is struggling to step up supplies.

Reportedly, the Serum Institute of India had also warned against the shortage of raw material affecting production. Odisha and Haryana have even raised the issue of an insufficient supply of COVID-19 vaccines.

It is important to note that COVID-19 vaccinations are a double-dose exercise. So many patients, especially those above the age of 60 and 45 who would have just taken the first dose, are yet to receive their second dose.

What the government is saying?

Recently, Dr NK Arora, chair, Operations Research Group, National Task Force ICMR Delhi and advisor to the national AEFI committee tweeted a video clip and said that there has been no shortage of Covid-19 vaccines in the country till date and there is no possibility of the shortage in future too. Arora said the Co-WIN portal will ensure no state runs out of vaccine stock.

Earlier, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan also tweeted that there would be no vaccine shortage in the country and centre would continually replenish states’ supplies.

The loggerhead

If reports are to be believed, the supply-demand mismatch seems to continue till India’s drug regulator approves Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, which has been developed by Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.

Due to the new wave of outbreaks in India right now, the country requires to aggravate doses on a large scale.

Published : April 06, 2021 03:58 PM IST

When will India open COVID-19 vaccination for all? What we know so far

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