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Updated April 12th, 2021 at 21:54 IST

COVID-19: PIL in SC seeks direction to Centre to open vaccination for people below 45

A PIL has been filed before the SC to issue directions to the Centre to open COVID vaccination for all citizens regardless of their age.

Reported by: Bhakti Hargunani
COVID-19
Image credit: PTI/Representative image | Image:self
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Amidst the upsurge of COVID-19 cases in India, a petition has been filed before the apex court requesting it to ask the Centre to allow vaccinations for all citizens. The PIL also includes citizens under the age of 45 who are currently not eligible to receive the COVID vaccination in India. 

As an aftermath of this second wave of COVID-19, the petitioner has urged the top court to direct the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India to carry out effective changes in its policy in order to ensure that all citizens, regardless of their age be vaccinated against COVID-19. 

In this PIL to vaccinate all individuals, Tehseen Poonawalla, the petitioner brought grave questions to light and asked, "it is surprising why the central government did not allow more people to be vaccinated despite India being the 'vaccine manufacturer' of the world."

Further, the plea argued that the bar on availability of approved vaccines to persons below the age of 45 years, despite having co-morbid conditions, is 'arbitrary, unreasonable and ultra vires Article 21.' The current bar on age groups accompanied by a rise in COVID-19 cases demands immediate steps to be taken to ensure that as many citizens are vaccinated, it added.

The PIL intends to seek directions to the Health Ministry to include citizens of all age groups to get vaccinated against COVID. Contending that there has been a sharp rise in COVID cases across the country, the plea said that not only persons aged above 45 years but below the age of 45 years, who are employed therefore required to go outside every day, and vulnerable groups should be required to be vaccinated. 

The plea also highlighted how both vaccines i.e. COVAXIN (produced by Bharat Biotech Intl. Ltd.) and COVISHIELD (produced by Serum Institute of India LTD) have been found to be effective and can bring about sufficient protection required in this surge of infections due to COVID-19.

(with inputs from ANI)

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Published April 12th, 2021 at 21:54 IST

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