New Delhi: India on Saturday logged a rare milestone in its fight against the coronavirus with Prime Minister Narendra Modi launching the pan India rollout of Covid-19 vaccination drive via video conferencing. This is the world’s largest vaccination programme covering the entire length and breadth of the country.

The Prime Minister put the unprecedented scale of the vaccination drive in perspective by informing that, in the first round itself, 3 crore people, which is more than the population of at least 100 countries of the world, are being vaccinated. He said that this needs to be taken up to 30 crores in the second round when elderly and people with serious comorbidities will be vaccinated.

He said that there are only three countries- India, USA and China, who have the population of more than 30 crore. This scale of vaccination campaign has never been attempted in history and this shows India’s capability, said Modi.

The Prime Minister also asked the people to stay away from rumours and propaganda as these made-in-India vaccines have been approved for emergency use only after the scientists and experts were fully convinced about their safety and efficacy. Indian vaccine scientists, medical system, Indian process and institutional mechanism in this regard are trusted globally and this trust is earned with a consistent track record.

The Prime Minister pointed out that 60 per cent of children world over receive life-saving vaccines which are made-in-India and pass through stringent Indian scientific tests. He said that this trust on Indian vaccine expertise and Indian vaccine scientists is going to be further strengthened by the made-in-India Corona vaccine. Indian vaccines are not only much cheaper than the foreign vaccines but they are much easier to administer too.

Some of the foreign vaccines, the Prime Minister pointed out, are priced up to five thousand rupees per dose and have to be stored in minus 70 degree temperature. Whereas, Indian vaccines are based on technology which has been tried and tested for many years in India. With regard to storage to transportation these vaccines are suitable for India conditions and they will help us in securing a decisive victory in our fight against Corona, said the Prime Minister.

Modi termed the Indian response to corona as one of self-confidence and self-reliance. He noted a determination of not to let the confidence weaken in every Indian. He recalled the journey from one Corona lab to the strong network of 2300 labs; from dependence to self-sufficiency to exporting capacity in masks, PPE and ventilators. He called upon the people to show the same sense of self-confidence and self-reliance during the phase of vaccination drive.

The Prime Minister said India’s Covid-19 vaccination campaign is based on very humane and important principles. Those who need the vaccine the most will get it first. Those who are at the maximum risk of getting infected will be vaccinated first. He said, our doctors, nurses, hospital sanitation workers and para-medical staff will have the first right to get vaccinated. This priority is available to the medical hospitals in both public and private sectors.

After the medical staff, the Prime Minister said, the members of essential services, and those responsible for the country's security and law and order will be vaccinated.  Our security forces, police personnel, fire brigade, sanitation workers will be given priority. This number will be nearly three crore and Government of India will bear the expense of their vaccination, he said.

While elaborating on the robust arrangements for the drive, the Prime Minister cautioned the people to be careful about not missing taking two doses. He said that there will be a gap of one month between the doses. He asked the people to keep their guards up even after taking the vaccine as only two weeks after taking the second dose, the human body will develop necessary immunity against the corona.

Key POINTS

* A total of 3006 session sites across all States and UTs were virtually connected during the launch.

* People should be careful about not missing taking two doses. There will be a gap of one month between the doses.

* One needs to keep his guards up even after taking the vaccine as only two weeks after taking the second dose, the human body will develop necessary immunity against the coronavirus.

* On January 17, 2020, India issued its first advisory and India was among the first nations to start screening of passengers at the airports