Enough stock of COVID-19 vaccine for first phase of vaccination drive: Centre

India has enough stockpile of the COVID19 vaccine for inoculation of priority groups including healthcare workers and frontline workers in the first phase Niti Aayog member V K Paul said on MondayPaul who is also the Chairman of National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID19 NEGVAC further said the government will soon announce its plans for purchase and distribution of COVID19 vaccineOur first phase of vaccination comprises priority groups with high risk of mortality and our healthcare and frontline workers For them we believe we have enough COVID19 vaccine stockpile he told PTI in an interviewIndias drug regulator DCGI on Sunday approved the Oxford COVID19 vaccine Covishield manufactured by the Serum Institute and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country paving the way for a massive inoculation drivePaul noted that three to four months from now there will be other vaccines and the stockpile will be even bigger And more acceleration can be brought about in the vaccination programme he addedAsked when the government will announce its plans for purchase and distribution of COVID19 vaccine he said this will follow Now the essential has taken place all these steps will be takenAsked what would be the single biggest challenge in mass vaccination for COVID19 Paul noted that the biggest challenge encompasses the huge mobilisation that is required for such an effortWell the single most important challenge for mass vaccination on such a scale is mobilising beneficiaries on the appointed day and to conduct sessions in smooth systemic protocols ensuring COVID19 appropriate precautions I think is the single biggest challenge he observedAccording to Paul the purpose of vaccination is a staggered ambition and can be seen as hierarchicalUltimately we would like vaccination to stop stall and extinguish the pandemic that is the ultimate purpose he said adding that for that to be achieved a herd immunity of about 70 per cent has to be created either through vaccination or by adding those people who have undergone natural infectionMr Paul pointed out that for normal life to go on there should be enough vaccinated people so that the countrys industry schools transportation judicial system and Parliamentary activity go onEven though the virus may be there the pandemic may not have finished but enough of economic and social life could go on he emphasisedReplying to a question that India does not have experience in adult vaccination the Niti Aayog member noted that countries face new challenges and then they respond on the basis of their intrinsic capabilityWe have tremendous experience of running immunisation programs We have experience of running affairs like national elections which happen over a short period of time across the country he saidSo those experiences and those SOP will come handy and build on that Indias ingenuity Indias innovation and Indias experience will make it possible for us to mount a successful vaccination programme even though it is unprecedented he addedReferring to the health ministrys recently issued COVID19 Vaccine Operational Guidelines Paul said God forbid if you have any comorbidity then you will get a vaccine in the first phase of the vaccination programme Otherwise you will get after these high priority groups have been coveredIndias drug regulator DCGI on Sunday approved the Oxford COVID19 vaccine Covishield manufactured by the Serum Institute and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the countryThe approval by the Drugs Controller General of India DCGI was given on the basis of recommendations submitted by a COVID19 subject expert committee SEC of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation CDSCOAfter adequate examination CDSCO has decided to accept the recommendations of the Expert Committee and accordingly vaccines of Ms Serum and Ms Bharat Biotech are being approved for restricted use in emergency situations DCGI Dr V G Somani had saidThis paves the way for the rollout of at least two vaccines in India in the coming daysThe Serum Institute of India the worlds largest vaccine manufacturer has tied up with AstraZeneca to manufacture CovishieldCovaxin has been indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research ICMRAlso the authority granted Cadila Healthcare the permission to conduct the Phase III clinical trial of its vaccine candidate in India Dr Somani had saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever