With the Covid vaccine in the final stages of operationalisation in India, chief minister (CM) Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday announced that he will take the first shot of the covid vaccine in Punjab, once it is cleared by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). He made the announcement at the virtual cabinet meeting.
In line with the Government of India (GoI) strategy for vaccination, Punjab has prioritised healthcare workers, frontline workers, the elderly population (over 50 years of age), and people with co-morbidities (< or = 50 years), the meeting was informed.
According to Punjab Health Secretary Hussan Lal, the state has compiled data of 1.25 lakh government and private healthcare workers to be vaccinated in the first phase. Approximately 23% (70 lakh) of the state’s population, estimated at around 3 crore, will be vaccinated in terms of the GoI guidelines on prioritisation, he said.
