On January 12, 2021, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in a media briefing said that it will take more than one year to complete the COVID-19 vaccination process in the country.
India will start the mammoth vaccination drive from January 16, 2021. Approximately one crore healthcare workers and two crore frontline workers will be vaccinated against the novel Coronavirus disease during the first phase of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in India.
On January 3, Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield, which is being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin were granted approval for restricted emergency use by the Drug Controller General of India (DGCI).
As per the COVID-19 Vaccines Operational Guidelines released by the Health Ministry, during phase of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, around 26 crore people will get their vaccine shots, which will include persons aged 50 years and above and those aged below 50 years but with associated comorbid conditions.
