Highlights
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi kick-started India's coronavirus vaccination
- PM Modi lauded India's health workers and scientists for fighting COVID-19
- 3 crore health and frontline workers will be vaccinated first: PM Modi
New Delhi: January 16, 2021, will be remembered in the history as the day the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive took off. It has been launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 10:30 AM today, setting off India on the path towards overcoming the pandemic that unleashed unprecedented suffering over the last 12 months. India’s COVID vaccine drive, which according to the government is the world’s largest vaccination programmes and aims to inoculate 3 crore health and other frontline workers first in the phase one of the vaccination drive. The vaccination drive will use vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, manufactured in India at Serum Institute in Pune – Covishield and Covaxin by Bharat Biotech and Indian Council of Medical Research. Both the COVID-19 vaccines have been given restricted emergency use.
Here are the top highlights from the launch of India's Coronavrius Vaccination:
- Today, many of those scientists, who had been involved in making the vaccine against Coronavirus for the past several months, deserve special praise. It usually takes years to make a vaccine. But in such a short time, not one, two Made in India vaccines are ready. This is an evidence of India’s scientific progress and talent, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- PM Modi informed that those who need the vaccine the most will be vaccinated first – healthcare workers like doctors, nurses, and others in private and government hospitals will be the priority. After that, those in essential services who are responsible for security and law – Army, sanitation workers and others. India is vaccinating 3 crore people in its first phase of vaccination and the centre will bear the cost.
- Lauding health and frontline workers for putting a tough fight against COVID-19 in times of crisis and atmosphere of despair, PM Modi said, they stayed away from their families and children, stayed away from their homes for days. “Hundreds never returned home. They sacrificed their lives to save lives. So today, by vaccinating the healthcare workers first, society is in a way paying their debts,” said the Prime Minister.
- Never before has this type of vaccination and such a large-scale vaccination campaign been run in history. There are over than 100 countries in the world whose population is less than 3 crores and India is vaccinating 3 crore people in its first phase of vaccination: PM.
- In the second phase, we have to take it to the number of 30 crores. Those who are elderly, who are suffering from a serious illness, will get vaccinated at this stage, said PM.
- PM Modi appealed to the citizens to take both the doses of the coronavirus vaccine. Between the first and second dose, a gap of about one month will also be kept. ‘Only 2 weeks after the second dose, your body will develop the necessary strength against the corona’, informed PM.
- PM Modi also urged to steer clear of misinformation and myths surrounding COVID-19 vaccines and said, Indian experts and scientists, have given emergency use approval to two vaccines only after trials and being confident of vaccines’ efficacy.
- PM Modi compared Indian vaccines to other vaccines being used in neighbouring countries and informed that Indian vaccines are cheap and easy to store, transport and adminster. He said, “There are vaccines which cost Rs. 5,000 per dose and need to be stored at -70 degree Celsius. India’s vaccines are developed in a way keeping in mind the conditions of the country. They will give a decisive victory to our country.”
- Our vaccine developers have global credibility. Life-saving vaccines given to 60 per cent children globally are made in India: PM.
- Mask, do gaz ki doori (social distancing) and hygiene will be needed during and after vaccination also, said PM and added, the start of vaccination does not mean people should stop following the COVID-19 protocols. We must take another vow, ‘Dawaai Bhi, Kadaai Bhi’ (yes to vaccine, yes to caution).
NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.
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