Those above 45 years can get Covid-19 vaccine from April 1

I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar said that adequate stocks of vaccines are available.

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday opened up the Covid-19 vaccination for anyone above 45 years of age from April 1 as the second wave of the epidemic gallops in at least 17 states clocking nearly 41,000 fresh cases in the last 24 hours.

"On the recommendations of the Covid-19 task force, the Union Cabinet has decided that the vaccine will be for all citizens above the age of 45, irrespective of co-morbidities,” Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said after the Cabinet meeting.

The minister assured that adequate stock of the vaccine was available with the government.

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The Health Ministry has informed the Parliament that it had supplied more than 74 million doses to the states and exported 59.5 million doses so far. More vaccines are being procured.

An allocation of Rs 35,000 crore has already been made in the 2021-22 Budget for Covid-19 vaccination.

Expanding the vaccination circle will make nearly 347 million people or close to a quarter of India’s population eligible for the shots. The cut-off date for the 45 plus category is those born before January 1, 1977. "People in the 45 plus age group are economically productive individuals who are going out and meeting people for work. At a time when the transmission rates are very high, they are not burdened with the need to produce a medical certificate to get the vaccine. This would simplify the procedure and reduce the transmission rate,” a public health specialist told DH.

The Cabinet has also put its stamp of approval on the Health Ministry’s decision to delay the second dose of Covishield up to eight weeks on the advice of the National Technical Advisory Group on immunisation and subsequently by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19.

Weeks before such an advisory was given by the World Health Organisation. "This will free up more doses for the first shot for a wider population,” said the public health specialist.

Soon after the Cabinet meeting, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote to the States informing them about the Cabinet decision and consequent changes that were being made in the Co-Win platform, which will do away with the feature of the auto-scheduling of the second dose on the 29th day.

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"This is a very sensible and wise step as many vulnerable people may not even be knowing about their conditions and won't approach a doctor for a medical certificate. This may also be having some benefits in reducing the transmission risks, though more studies are needed for scientific proof,” K Srinath Reddy, president, Public Health Foundation of India told DH.

India, on Tuesday, reported 40,715 new Covid-19 cases, of which 81 per cent were from six states – Maharashtra, Punjab, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The only silver lining is that Kerala no longer figures in the top-six list though the state still harbours a large number of active cases. The total number of active cases now stands at 3.45 lakh.

Barring Odisha, Assam and Kerala, the epidemic is growing in 17 of the 20 most populous states. In the last 24 hours, 199 deaths were reported, out of which Maharashtra and Punjab each reported 58 casualties.