“The key to our fight against COVID19 must be ramping up the vaccination effort”, Former PM writes to PM Narendra Modi

New Delhi: Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stated that expansion of COVID vaccination programme is a big part of pandemic management.

“The key to our fight against COVID19 must be ramping up the vaccination effort. India has vaccinated only a small fraction of its population. I am certain that with the right policy design, we can do much better and very quickly,” wrote Manmohan singh in the letter.

“We must resist the temptation to look at the absolute numbers being vaccinated, and focus instead on the percentage of the population vaccinated,” he said further.

In the letter, he suggested five key point in ramping up the vaccination drive in the country.

First, the government should publicise what are the firm orders for doses placed on different vaccine producers and accepted for delivery over the next six months.

Second, the government should indicate how this expected supply will be distributed across states based on a transparent formula.

Third, states should be given some flexibility to define categories of frontline workers who can be vaccinated even if they are below 45 years of age.

Fourth, the Government of India must proactively support vaccine producers to expand their manufacturing facilities quickly by providing funds and other concessions.

Fifth, since domestic supplies are limited, any vaccine that has been cleared for use by credible authorities such as the European Medical Agency or the USFDA, should be allowed to be imported without insisting on domestic bridging trials.

Here is the complete letter: