Frontline workers to get covid vaccine starting early Feb: Health Ministry

In a move that could accelerate India’s vaccination drive against Covid-19, the government has asked states to start vaccinating frontline workers alongside health workers from the first week of February, the health ministry confirmed. India had planned to vaccinate 10 million health and 20 million frontline workers as part of the first phase of vaccine roll-out.

So far more than 3.3 million health care workers have been vaccinated across the country. Inclusion of frontline would mean that police personnel, home guards, municipal workers would soon be able to get the jab. 

The remaining 270 million including those above 50 years of age and those with comorbidities will be the next in line. Government has been campaigning to encourage people to come forward to get the vaccine, debunking myths and even announcing penal action against rumour mongering. 

According to recent data shared by the health ministry eleven states have managed to give the first jab to over 35 per cent of its health care workforce while another six have achieved about 20 per cent or less vaccine coverage including Delhi, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu. In order to increase vaccinations in the country, the health ministry has given detailed guidelines to states to allow vaccinations the health ministry has allowed the shots for additional people as long as they are registered on the Co-WIN platform.