Ahead of the covid-19 vaccine rollout, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's interacted with chief ministers of all states via video conferencing to discuss the coronavirus situation. Taking to Twitter, the prime minister's office said, "At 4 PM on Monday 11th January, PM Narendra Modi will interact with Chief Ministers of all states via video conferencing. They will discuss the COVID-19 situation and the vaccination rollout."
Soon after, Serum Institute’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin coronavirus vaccines were given approval emergency use by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has announced that the coronavirus vaccination programme in the country will begin from January 16.
"The Centre will bear all the costs for the first phase of vaccination" of health workers and frontline workers like the police, civil defence and sanitation workers, PM Modi said in his address.
On January 9, the prime minister had held a high-level meeting to review the status of COVID-19 situation in the country along with the preparedness of the State/Union Territories for COVID vaccination.
Coronavirus vaccine rollout will be given to priority groups including healthcare workers and the frontline workers who are estimated to be around 3 crores followed by those above 50 years of age and the under-50 population groups with co-morbidities which comes around 27 crores.
On Sunday, India's covid-19 tally reached 1,04,50,284 including 2,23,335 active cases while the death toll climbed to 1,50,999.
Vaccine transport from SII to start on Jan 11 or 12: Sources.
The Serum Institute of India will start transportation of the vaccine from the evening of January 11 or on January 12, sources involved in planning the logistics said on Sunday. The vaccine-laden trucks will move out from the Manjari location of the SII with elaborate police security.
"With all likelihood, there are possibilities that the transportation of the Covishield vaccine will start from Monday. Tentatively, there are plans to start the movement of the vaccine on Monday, but if that does not happen for some reason, it will start from Tuesday morning," said the sources involved in the planning for security and logistics for transportation of the vaccine.
PM Modi warns against misleading rumours relating to coronavirus vaccine.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on today’s interaction with the CMs cautioned the countrymen against any misleading rumours on Covid-19 vaccine, ahead of a mass immunisation drive beginning on January 16.
"All States and UTs must ensure that rumours around the vaccination programme are not allowed to spread. Corporate competition and vested interests of certain lobbies within and outside the country may be at work to fuel the rumours," PM Modi said.
Also Read: Covishield Covid-19 vaccine cost Rs 200 a flask, purchase order likely today, sources
PM Modi on bird flu.
PM Modi also discussed the spread of the bird flu crisis that has been confirmed in nine states as of now.
The prime minister said that bird flu has been confirmed in Kerala, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Maharashtra.
Poultry farms, zoos, water bodies have to be constantly monitored to control the spread of bird flu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.