Vaccination is an ongoing and a dynamic process, and therefore, a fixed timeline cannot be given for the completion of the COVID-19 immunisation drive but those above 18 years of age are expected to be vaccinated by December 2021, the Health Ministry informed the Lok Sabha on Friday in a written reply.
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was one of two MPs who had asked if all adults would be fully vaccinated by December 2021, availability of vaccines and other related questions. Trinamool’s Mala Roy was the other MP who had the same queries.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, said between August and December 2021, a total of 135 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine are expected to be available and asserted that there has been no delay in entering into purchase agreements with the domestic vaccine manufacturers.
Ms. Pawar also informed the House that ₹9,725.15 crore have been spent so far on the COVID-19 vaccination programme including procurement of vaccines and the operational cost for vaccination.
“The COVID-19 vaccination is an ongoing and dynamic process, which is being guided by National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) on the basis of concurrent scientific evidence. In view of the dynamic and evolving nature of COVID-19 pandemic, no fixed timeline at present can be indicated for the completion of vaccination drive. However, it is expected that beneficiaries aged 18 years and above will be vaccinated by December 2021,” the Minister stated in her reply.
