(Image source from: india.com)

Hoping that a covid-19 vaccine would soon help us get protection from covid-19, PM Modi, on Tuesday said that the Government would see to it that the vaccine goes to everyone after it meets all the scientific criteria.

This development came right after three manufacturers claimed success after testing their vaccine candidates.

In an interaction through a video link, Modi cautioned the Chief Minister’s about rumours linked with the vaccines and he said that he won’t be able to help if people play politics over it.

The Chief Minister’s were asked to set up cold storages and other infrastructure for better convenience once the vaccine is available.

He assured them that the States would be taken forward in the vaccine delivery drive, considering the fact that the Center and States are fighting the pandemic together.

The Prime Minister described people’s reaction to the pandemic from fear to a false notion of security. Moving forward, he laid emphasis on the following

• The need for Reverse Transcriptase -Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests
• The need for monitoring covid-19 patients who are in home isolation
• Better-equipped health centres in rural areas and continuing awareness campaigns
• Ongoing measures such as social distancing and wearing of masks
• Expanding testing and treatment network for creating more oxygen plants
• Stressed on the importance of understanding public behaviour

Further, he said that they would give more oxygen supplies through PM CARES Fund that also funded procurement of ventilators.

This month, Pfizer Inc., Moderna Inc. and Oxford-AstraZeneca Plc found their Phase 3 trials this month have shown a high degree of efficacy.

The VK Paul-led expert panel on vaccines is closely monitoring developments and waiting for regulatory clearance for emergency use of these vaccines.

Amit Shah, the Union home minister, asked states to ensure that the mortality rate goes below 1% and also asks them to try and keep a control over the cases.

He said mentioned that containment zones must change from time to time based on the number of cases.

When concerned with people playing politics, Modi referred to the former Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s tweet on Monday in which he asked Modi a series of questions on the Covid-19 vaccine.

Gandhi asked: “The PM must tell the nation: 1. Of all the Covid vaccine candidates, which will GOI (Government of India) choose & why? 2. Who will get the vaccine first & what will be the distribution strategy? 3. Will PMCares fund be used to ensure free vaccination? 4. By when will all Indians be vaccinated?”.

By Neha Makhija