Min age of public representatives to be eligible to get vaccinated against Covid-19 is 50 yrs
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, all Chief Ministers, MPs and MLAs above 50 will be vaccinated in the second phase of the Covid inoculation drive launched last week. Currently, under the ongoing first phase of the mega vaccine programme healthcare workers and others at the frontline of the coronavirus fight are receiving jabs of two vaccines — Serum Institute of India’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.
“Elected representatives above 50 years of age are likely to be vaccinated against Covid-19 in the second round of the ongoing inoculation drive after over three crore healthcare and frontline workers are vaccinated in the first round. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, most of his Cabinet Ministers, including Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari, a majority of Chief Ministers and top-rung leaders of all political parties besides MPs and MLAs fall in this category,” said sources in the Union Health Ministry.
The Prime Minister in his interaction with Chief Ministers before the nationwide rollout of the vaccination programme had asked politicians to not jump the queue as the first round of inoculation is meant only for healthcare and frontline workers.
Modi had also said the turn of those over 50 years of age besides those younger but living with comorbidities will come after that.
Though the Government has given no timeline, Modi had said on January 11 that 30 crore people, including those above 50 years of age, will be vaccinated in the next few months. Chief Ministers of States like Haryana, Bihar and Telangana had reportedly suggested that MLAs, MPs and other public representatives should be considered frontline workers and be vaccinated.
Many States are struggling to meet targets due to hesitancy to take vaccines and the fear of side effects.
Meanwhile, to boost the confidence among people of his Lok Sabha constituency, Varanasi, Modi will interact with beneficiaries and vaccinators of the Covid-19 inoculation drive in the holy city on Friday via video conferencing.
The participants in the interaction will share their first hand experience of vaccination, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Thursday.
“The world’s largest vaccination drive is underway in India. Our frontline warriors are getting vaccinated across the nation. At 1:15 pm tomorrow, January 22, I would interact with beneficiaries and vaccinators of Covid vaccination drive in Varanasi, via video conferencing,” Modi tweeted.
“This interaction would give first hand opportunity to hear their experiences as well as feedback. I would urge you all to watch tomorrow’s interaction,” he added.
The interaction follows Modi’s continuous dialogue and discussion with scientists, political leaders, and stakeholders.
Friday, 22 January 2021 | PNS | New Delhi
