Covid-19 vaccination strategy based on need over want, says govt

While extending vaccination for all above 45 years of age, the health ministry had said that this age group accounted for 88 per cent of Covid-19 deaths in the country

India’s vaccination strategy, restricting the doses to limited groups of people, has been designed with the aim of giving precedence to those who need rather than those who want to be vaccinated, health secretary Rajesh Bhushan told reporters on Tuesday.

Responding to the growing clamour for vaccination to be opened for all above 18 years of age, Bhushan said the driving force of the vaccination exercise in India as well as in most western countries has been aiming to reduce the number of deaths and protect the healthcare system. 

“The most vulnerable have to be saved,” Bhushan added. While extending