Union health minister Harsh Vardhan (File photo)
NEW DELHI: Union health minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday said that the third phase of Covid-19 vaccination, in which people above 50 years of age will be vaccinated, is expected to start next month.
Answering supplementaries in Lok Sabha, Harsh Vardhan said Rs 35,000 crore has been provided for Covid-19 vaccines in the Union Budget 2021-22 and finance minister has assured that allocation can increase if required.
He said Covid-19 vaccination drive was launched on January 16 to vaccinate one crore healthcare workers in the first phase and it is going on smoothly. The second phase started in different parts of the country from February 2 in which vaccine is being administered to frontline workers whose numbers are estimated to be around two crores. After the completion of phase 1 and phase 2, it is possible that in the next month, the third phase will start in which citizens over 50 (years) will be vaccinated across the country,
Covid vaccination for those over 50 from March, Vardhan tells Lok Sabha
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Last Updated: Feb 06, 2021, 06:34 AM IST
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“We are likely to start the third phase of vaccination for 50 years and above next month,” the minister said in reply to a question during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
Union health minister Harsh Vardhan (File photo)
New Delhi: India will begin inoculating people aged 50 and above against Covid-19 next month, health minister Harsh Vardhan said.
“We are likely to start the third phase of vaccination for 50 years and above next month,” the minister said in reply to a question during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha on Friday. “It is not possible to give an exact date for this right now, but it could be the second, third or fourth week of March.”