New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said that 51 lakh of Delhi people including healthcare staff, frontline workers, and those above 50 years old will get the COVID-19 vaccine in the first phase.
During a web conference, Kejriwal shared the details on the Coronavirus vaccine as it is being expected early next year. He also said that 51 lakh citizens have been identified by the administration, and have been profiled under the “priority category” for vaccination.
The Delhi government’s plan is aligned with the suggestions from the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration of COVID-19 (NEGVAC). Kejriwal happily claimed that his state has completed all arrangements to receive and store vaccine doses.
An estimate of 1.2 crore doses is required to cover priority categories. These categories include healthcare workers, front-line police and civil defense volunteers, senior citizens aged above 50, a special category of people aged below 50 with associated comorbidities such as diabetes, risk of heart failure among others.
The CM said there are around three lakh healthcare workers, six lakh frontline workers while the count of people the senior citizens, and below with comorbidities come to around 42 lakh in the state of Delhi itself.
Kejriwal said, “We have identified nearly all of them and the identification work will be wrapped up in a week. Right now Delhicano stores 74 lakh vaccine doses and it is being augmented. In the next five to 7 days, the city will be able to store 1.15 CRORE doses.”
Those people listed for the vaccination on a priority basis will be contacted via SMS. He further added, “The government will inform them about the time and venue of vaccination. People need not worry about this.”
The government has likewise made a different arrangement to guarantee clinical assistance in case of the immunization setting off any unfriendly response in an individual. “We are eagerly waiting for vaccine approvals now,” Kejriwal said.