Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has stressed the need for completion of the MPTC and ZPTC elections at the earliest in order to put the COVID-19 vaccination drive on the fast track.
Reviewing the progress of vaccination on Wednesday, after apprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the steps taken to contain the pandemic during a video-conference, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said the current electoral process had its effect on the vaccination drive, and it could be speeded up upon completion of the elections, for which only six days remained.
“If this is not done, the conduct of COVID-19 tests, inoculation, and setting up containment zones becomes difficult,” he observed.
Further, the Chief Minister directed the officials to report the current scenario to the Governor and the High Court on behalf of the government, to pave the way for the MPTC and ZPTC elections.
He instructed the authorities to involve the village secretariats in the vaccination drive, and insisted that the vaccine be immediately administered to those above 45 years of age and suffering from chronic diseases, along with senior citizens aged above 60.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy called for a comprehensive action plan on vaccination and scaling up the number of tests keeping the steady rise in the number of positive cases in view.
Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Health Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas, Home Minister M. Sucharita, Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das, DGP Gautam Sawang, and Principal Secretary (Health) Anil Kumar Singhal were among those present.
