Updates on COVID-19 Vaccination drive in India

January 18, 2021 Hot from the Oven Valli Sarvani No comments

The largest vaccination drive began in India on January 16, 2021. India aimed to vaccinate frontline workers in the first phase. Among them, healthcare workers are on priority.

Here are the updates on COVID-19 vaccination drive in the country:

While the target was to provide vaccine to three lakh people on the first day, only 1,91,181 healthcare workers received the shots at over 3,000 session sites. As the receipt of vaccination is voluntary, many people did not come forward to get it. As a result, it led to a shortfall in the target, says the government.
Around 16,755 vaccinators involved in organizing the vaccination sessions.
Certain issues were reported on the first day like delay in uploading the beneficiary list at a few sessions and vaccination of few healthcare workers that have not scheduled for the first-day session. Other than these, the vaccination drive was successful on the first day.
Around 553 vaccine sessions were held on the second day, i.e. January 17 to benefit 17,072 people across the country. Only six states conducted vaccination sessions on January 17.
Adverse effects were reported in 447 cases on January 16th and 17th and three people were admitted to hospitals as per the Health Ministry.
The government approved two vaccines, Covishield and Covaxin. However, people have no option to choose from both the vaccines, but the decision is based on the government. The central government decided it and sent the vaccines to states and union territories.
While Covishield was supplied to all states and UTs, only 12 stated used Covaxin. Covaxin has not finished phase 3 trials. Hence, many vaccine experts are questioning the administration of the vaccine to people. Moreover, people cannot choose the vaccine they receive, but it is the government that decides. This move also criticized by several people.

Image by Wilfried Pohnke from Pixabay (Free for commercial use)