‘Priority is to protect most vulnerable’
Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Apr 07 : The central government on Wednesday said their first priority is to protect most vulnerable persons and there will be no COVID-19 vaccination for all age groups anytime soon.
While responding to the growing demands that COVID vaccination must be given to every age group, Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary said that the approach is that those vulnerable to mortality need to be covered at the earliest to protect them.
“We first want to reach to people who need vaccination and not to the one who demands,” he said adding that they have to focus on COVID appropriate behaviour and containment measures.
Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Chief Minister’s of Delhi and Maharashtra have requested Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi to relax the age limit for vaccination.
Niti Aayog Member Health VK Paul said that there is no country that is vaccinating people less then the age of 45.
“If we start vaccinating to all without any age discrimination we will lose focus on controlling the pandemic,” Paul said.
He said that the best tool to beat this pandemic is to follow COVID appropriate behaviour like wearing of masks, staying away from crowds, containment measures, aggressive testing, medical infrastructure to be ramped up and vaccination drive to be intensified.
“Despite that cases and deaths are increasing but still in terms of deaths per million, we are doing well and the pandemic is in control,” he said—(KNO)
