India / Safety as important as speed: PM Modi to states on COVID-19 vaccine

New Delhi: Stating that a vaccine distribution strategy will be chalked out in collective coordination with states soon, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday directed that all states to start working on establishing cold storage facilities for COVID-19 vaccine.

Addressing a virtual meeting with chief ministers of seven states as well as with the CM of Union territory of Delhi to review the Covid-19 situation in the regions, the prime minister said that since safety is as important as speed for us, all states are required to establish cold storage facilities for whichever COVID-19 vaccine India gives its citizens must be safe on all scientific standards.

He said, “Safety is as important as speed for us, whichever vaccine India will give to its citizens will be safe on all scientific standards. Vaccine distribution strategy will be chalked out in collective coordination with states. States must also start working cold storage facilities.”

Urging the states to send a detailed plan on vaccine distribution, PM Modi said, “I urge states to send detailed plans soon on how they plan to take vaccine to lowest levels. It’ll help us in making decisions as your experiences are valuable. I hope for your pro-active participation. Vaccine work is ongoing but I request you there should be no carelessness.”

“This mission of coronavirus vaccination of each citizen is like a national commitment. Each State and stakeholder has to work as a team to ensure that this mission is systematic, smooth and a sustained effort,” he added.

The prime minister also said that even though India is in a better situation than other countries when it comes to coronavirus recovery and fatality rates, the positivity rate needs to be brought down to under five per cent and the number of RT-PCR tests should be increased.

“Today I spoke to chief ministers of states where the situation is deteriorating. Discussions over the status and distribution of vaccine took place and the picture is clearer now. As a result of joint efforts, today India is in a better situation than other countries when it comes to recovery and fatality rates,” the Prime Minister said.

He added, “Seeing good recovery rates, many think virus is weak and they’ll recover soon, this has led to rampant carelessness. Those working on vaccine are doing it but we need to focus on ensuring that people are alert & transmission is curbed. We’ve to bring positivity rate under 5 per cent and fatality rate under 1 per cent.”

During the interaction with the CM’s, PM Modi further said, “Government of India is keeping a track of each development in vaccine development. It’s yet not decided which vaccine will cost how much. Though 2 India-based vaccines are at the forefront, we’re working with global firms also. Even after drugs being available for years, some people have adverse reactions. So a decision needs to be taken on scientific basis.”

The prime minister also said that at this time the country is also focused on making oxygen and ventilators available. “We are trying to make the medical colleges and district hospitals self-sufficient in oxygen generation. Efforts underway to establish more than 160 oxygen generation plants in the country,” he said.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal are among those were present at the meeting, held via video conferencing. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, NITI Aayog’s Dr VK Paul, Cabinet secretary, and Health Secretary also attended the meet.PM Modi had earlier chaired several meetings with chief ministers in the past six months over the pandemic.

India reported 37,975 new COVID-19 infections in the last 24 hours and 480 deaths due to the disease, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday.