India is currently in its third phase of Covid-19 vaccination where those above 45 years are eligible to get the shots. Public and private ...
India is currently in its third phase of Covid-19 vaccination where those above 45 years are eligible to get the shots. Public and private hospitals have administered over eight crore doses with most of them accounting for the first dose.
But this phase has coincided with the second wave of Covid-19 infections.
Three months after it rolled out vaccines, the country hit a grim milestone on Monday when it recorded over a lakh fresh cases with cases surging in states like Maharashtra, Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka among others.
Amid the rising cases, chief ministers of states like Maharashtra and Delhi have written to the Centre requesting them to remove the age limit for immunisation amid the rising cases.
This begs the question: Why has the Centre not yet opened up vaccines for all?
Responding to this question at a press briefing on Tuesday, the Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said the aim is not to administer the vaccine to those who want it but to those who need it. “Many people ask why shouldn’t we open vaccination for all. There are two aims of such vaccination drives – to prevent deaths and protect the healthcare system,” he said.
But some experts say they see no reason for the government’s hesitancy on this....
