VACCINE VAGARIES

THE NATIONAL VACCINATION DRIVE FACES SUPPLY, DISTRIBUTION AND PRICING HURDLES

- AMARNATH K. MENON and P.B. JAYAKUMAR

Beginning May 1, the Great Indian Vaccine Rollout will now cover millions of people in the 18-44 age bracket across the country in the inoculation drive against Covid-19. Except that the numbers are humongous and will be a lot more challenging than holding a general election or even taking a citizens’ headcount in the decadal Census. When it was launched on January 16, the phased rollout of the programme was in sync with the availability of Covid vaccines in the country. The first priority was the healthcare and frontline workers dealing with the pandemic. Then it was the turn of those above 60 years where mortality rates were the highest for the virus. So far, so good. The nation could easily meet the demand as vaccine hesitancy saw only half the numbers of the eligible group enrol. The ready availability of vaccine stocks also meant that India could export 65 million doses to needy nations.