India to Begin COVID-19 Vaccination for General Public Aged 50 and Above Starting March

by Kim Dongpyo

Published 22 Feb.2021 16:23(KST)

On the 11th of last month (local time), during the Maha Mela, the largest festival of Hindu devotees in India, tens of thousands of people gathered in Prayagraj, where the Ganges and Yamuna rivers meet, despite the risk of COVID-19 spread. India has nearly 11 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, second only to the United States.

India, which began COVID-19 vaccinations on the 16th of last month, will expand vaccinations to the general public starting from the 1st of next month.

According to Indian PTI news on the 22nd, Rajesh Bhushan, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India, sent an official letter to the secretaries of state governments the day before, stating, "The government plans to start vaccinations from March 1st targeting those aged 50 and above or those under 50 with chronic comorbidities," and urged them to prepare accordingly.

The authorities are currently vaccinating 30 million people including healthcare workers and military and police personnel.

The number of people aged 50 and above and those with comorbidities is estimated to be about 270 million. The Indian government plans to complete vaccinations for these groups by around July to August.

As of this day, approximately 11.1 million people in India have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Currently, only two vaccines have been approved for use in India: the AstraZeneca vaccine and the Bharat Biotech vaccine, both requiring two doses.

With the expansion of vaccinations requiring more vaccines, the Indian government plans to secure additional supplies from the existing two manufacturers while also pursuing additional approvals.

Vaccines likely to receive additional approval include foreign vaccines such as the Russian Sputnik V and Novavax vaccines, as well as vaccines under development by local companies Zydus Cadila, Biological E, and Genova.