India has distinguished itself in its attempts to immunize its population as the world struggles to contain the current COVID-19 outbreak. India has effectively immunized a vast section of its population in a remarkably short amount of time despite being a developing nation with a population of more than 1.4 billion people. We shall examine the specifics of India’s COVID-19 immunization campaign in this post, as well as the different elements that have helped make it so successful.
The Early Days of the Pandemic in India
India, like most nations, was unprepared for the abrupt onset of COVID-19 in early 2020. The Indian government put in place several steps to attempt and slow the virus’ transmission as it started to spread quickly around the world.
These measures included
· A nationwide lockdown
· Suspension of both domestic and international flights
· Shutdown of non-essential businesses and educational institutions
Despite these attempts, India’s COVID-19 case count increased continuously, peaking in September 2020 when the nation saw more than 90,000 new cases in a single day. The government began building the foundation for a vaccine programme at this point after realising that it needed to step up its efforts to contain the spread of the virus.
The Rollout of the Vaccination Campaigns during Covid-19
The first doses of the immunization programme were given to medical professionals on January 16, 2021, marking the official start of the campaign by the Indian government. Then, the elderly and those with comorbid conditions, as well as frontline employees like police officers and municipal workers, were immunized.
Efficient vaccination management
The sheer size of the operation was one of the main elements in India’s immunization campaign. The job of immunizing the whole population which numbers more than 1.4 billion people was always going to be challenging. To address this issue, the government established a huge nationwide network of immunization facilities, with over 20,000 stations operating as of March 2021.
Soliciting assistance from reliable sources
The government’s choice to buy vaccinations from several suppliers has also contributed to the effectiveness of the vaccination effort. The government acquired supplies of the vaccinations created by Russia’s Gamaleya Institute and Bharat Biotech, a native pharmaceutical company, in addition to the vaccine created by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. The availability of enough vaccine doses for the entire population has been made possible thanks to the diversification of supply sources.
Formulation of globally trusted Covid-19 vaccines
The Covishield vaccination – produced by the Serum Institute of India in partnership with Astra Zeneca and Oxford University – is one of the most well-known Indian Covid-19 vaccines. The Astra Zeneca vaccine and Covishield are both based on the same technology, and both have been used extensively in India and other nations.
Covaxin, created by Bharat Biotech in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Institute of Virology, is another Indian vaccine that has been created to protect against COVID-19. Additionally authorised for usage in India, Covaxin has also been exported to several other nations such as Guyana, Jamaica and more under the Vaccine Maitri initiative.
Two major hindrances faced by India to curb Covid-19
Like any large-scale vaccination campaign, India’s COVID-19 vaccination drive has not been without its challenges.
1. To start, one of the biggest issues the nation has encountered is the scarcity of vaccines. The global demand for vaccines has greatly outpaced the supply, and despite the government’s efforts to secure supplies from numerous sources, shortages have developed in some regions.
2. The country has also had to deal with the problem of vaccine reluctance. While most people have been open to vaccination, there have been occasional pockets of resistance, with some individuals raising questions about the vaccine’s effectiveness and safety. The government had begun a significant public awareness campaign to solve this problem by informing the people about the advantages of vaccination and allaying any worries they may have.
Global contribution of India towards Covid-19 alleviation in a nutshell
India has been a major player in the battle to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in terms of vaccine manufacture and export. India, one of the biggest vaccine producers in the world, has been able to develop and supply vaccinations to other nations by utilising its manufacturing capabilities. This has applied to vaccinations created by foreign firms, such as the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, as well as vaccines made in India, such as Covishield and Covaxin.
India has not only donated vaccinations to other nations, but it has also helped them establish and implement immunisation programmes by offering advice and technical support. This includes educating healthcare professionals and helping them with the practicalities of vaccine distribution.
To Summarize
Finally, the COVID-19 vaccination drive in India has been a spectacular success. Despite having a population of 1.4 billion people and being a developing nation, the government has been successful in immunizing a vast section of the population in a relatively short amount of time. The vaccines have proven to protect us from the disease and have enabled us to go back to normalcy. However, we cannot let our guard down as new variants of covid arise in different parts of the world. Take precautions, stay safe and healthy.