CM Amarinder urges PM Modi to allocate COVID vaccine to Punjab on priority once available

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to make the allocation of COVID19 vaccine to Punjab on priority basis owing to the state's higher mortality rate due to the population age profile and high levels of co-morbidities.

Punjab's tally of COVID-19 has risen to 1,56,226 cases with the addition of 802 new infections on Saturday, while 10 more fatalities pushed the death toll to 4,9215. There are 7,896 active COVID-19 cases in the state. The CM has contended that Punjab has a higher fatality rate due to COVID-19 even after relatively lower caseload, citing it as the reason for seeking vaccine on a priority basis.

Captain Amarinder in his letter to PM has also enquired whether the vaccination exercise would be entirely funded by the Centre, including the cost of vaccines and supplies. The CM also sought clarification on the definition of the frontline workers as to who all would be included within the purview of the term frontline worker.

The data of health care workers from the government as well as the private sector has been compiled and shared on the digital platform, the CM said. 

He thanked the Centre for supporting the state government during the pandemic and congratulated Modi for taking all special steps to make a vaccine available to the citizens of the country.

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Vaccine soon: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said a COVID-19 vaccine may be ready in a few weeks as he noted that experts believe the wait for it will not be long and asserted that the vaccination drive in India will begin as soon as scientists give the nod. In his remarks at an all-party meeting held virtually to discuss India's COVID-19 vaccination strategy, PM Modi said healthcare workers involved in treating Coronavirus patients, frontline workers, who include police personnel and municipal staff, and old people suffering from serious conditions would be inoculated on priority. 

PM Modi said nearly eight vaccine candidates, three of which are indigenous, are at different stages of trial and will be manufactured in India. Speaking about his interaction with Indian scientists involved in developing the vaccine and his visit to Pune, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad facilities where work is on in this regard, he said they are very confident of success.

(With PTI inputs)

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