PM Modi to virtually launch world's largest Covid vaccination drive tomorrow

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday will kick start the world's biggest vaccination drive against coronavirus, almost a year after India reported the first case of the deadly infectious disease, which has claimed over 1.5 lakh lives in the country till now. It is going to be a historic moment with the commencement of the eagerly-awaited vaccination drive against the dreaded disease.

Taking to Twitter a day ahead of the mass vaccination drive, PM Modi said, "Tomorrow, 16th January, India begins the pan-India rollout of COVID-19 Vaccination drive. The launch will take place at 10:30 AM tomorrow morning."

Highlights:

. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually launch the world's largest vaccination programme at 10:30 am on Saturday and almost three lakh beneficiaries, belonging to the priority groups, will be administered the silver bullet at over 3,006 vaccination sites across the country. Around 100 beneficiaries will be vaccinated at each session site.

. The vaccine will be first offered to the healthcare workers, frontline workers and



those above 50 years of age, followed by the below 50 population with comorbidities, and finally to the remaining population-based on disease epidemiology and vaccine availability.

. The vaccination drive has been planned in a phased manner, identifying the priority groups. Healthcare workers, both in government and private sectors, including Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) workers, will receive the vaccine in the first phase.

. Two vaccines -- Oxford Covid vaccine Covishield manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, and indigenously developed Covaxin by the Bharat Biotech -- will be administered to priority groups.

. Till now, the Central government has procured 1.1 crore Covishield and 55 lakh Covaxin vaccines at a cost of Rs 200 and Rs 206 per dose, respectively.

. Earlier on Friday, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that India's exercise to vaccinate its population against Covid-19 will be the largest immunisation drive in the world. The minister reiterated that both the indigenously manufactured vaccines have proven to be safe.