India on Monday expanded its COVID-19 vaccination campaign to cover people over 60 years of age as it hopes to address a spike in infections as well as vaccine hesitancy among people.
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, took the jab at a Delhi government hospital becoming the first beneficiary of the vaccination drive’s second phase.
“I appeal to all
those who are eligible to take the vaccine. Together, let us make India
COVID-19 free,” Modi said in a message addressing vaccine hesitancy.
The country
began inoculating its 1.3 billion population from Jan. 16, in what is the
world’s largest vaccination programme.
It planned to
vaccinate 30 million frontline workers and healthcare staff initially but has
struggled, only managing 14.3 million shots so far.
Registrations
for people over 60 and those over 45 with multiple medical conditions opened on
Monday morning on a government website and app, with vaccinations due to begin
in the afternoon.
The government
hopes to vaccinate 300 million people in the second phase by July, a formidable
challenge given the slow rollout owing to vaccine hesitancy, glitches in
registration and bureaucracy.
India has
reported more than 11 million cases of COVID-19 infections so far, second only
to the United States.
There was a
sharp decline in cases after the pandemic peaked around mid-September but the
number of new infections is again on an upward trajectory in major states in
recent weeks amid concerns that mutated strains may be circulating in the
country.
While the jabs
at government facilities will be free, private hospitals can charge up to 250
rupees (3.4 dollars) for one shot of the vaccine, the government said.
(dpa/NAN)
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