New Delhi: The Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, told the Lok Sabha on Friday that the process of vaccinating people in the age group above 50 years could begin from the second or third week of March. In reply to the supplementary questions of Ajay Mishra Teni and Vinod Kumar Sonkar in the Lok Sabha, Dr. Harshvardhan said that the emergency use of two vaccines of Covid-19 has been approved. Kovid vaccination campaign was started on 16 January 2021 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and 50 lakh people have been vaccinated in the country so far.
The Health and Family Welfare Minister said, ‘Work is currently underway on seven vaccines. Three of these vaccines are in the third phase of the clinical trial. While two vaccines are in the first and second phase of the trial and two vaccines are in the pre-clinical stage in advance. He said that under the Covid vaccination campaign, the target of vaccination of one crore health workers has been set in the first phase. After this, two crore workers (frontline workers) working on the front will be vaccinated.
Dr. Harshvardhan said that the work of vaccinating the frontline worker has started on 2 February. He said, ‘The process of vaccinating people in the age group above 50 years can start from the second or third week of March.’
Expenditure for vaccination of frontline personnel is about Rs. 480 crores
The minister said that the estimated expenditure for vaccination of an estimated three crore health care workers and frontline personnel is about 480 crores. To meet the operating cost, funds are being distributed to states / UTs according to the beneficiaries registered on the Covin portal.
In the Lok Sabha, when Health and Family Welfare Minister Kovid was responding to supplementary questions related to vaccination, members of Congress, DMK, Left parties and some other parties were raising slogans demanding the withdrawal of the disputed three agricultural laws.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla told the members shouting slogans that the government is answering important questions related to Coronavirus and you also want to hear the answer, in such a way, you should cooperate and let the Question Hour run. He said, ‘You are requested to return to your place so that the Question Hour can run smoothly.’
