Not everyone will be given Covid vaccine: Govt

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 19

The government on Thursday ruled out universal COVID 19 immunization saying every vaccine does not need to be administered to everyone.

Answering questions on COVID vaccine efficacy and scale in the Lok Sabha today, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said each and everyone on the globe will not be given the COVID vaccine.

No signal of concern regarding use of Covishield vaccine in India: Govt

“Every vaccine does not require universal immunization. Priority groups for inoculation have been carefully and scientifically determined. Tomorrow this priority group will expand. The advice on who to inoculate is based on the opinions of experts and WHO guidelines. India’s National Expert Group on Vaccination is in touch with all scientific developments in this field. It is not necessary scientifically to give the vaccine to each and every person. The COVID vaccine is not going to be given to everyone on the globe. All things are based on scientific scrutiny and advice,” Vardhan said to a pointed query by NCP’s Supriya Sule on whether universal COVID immunization was being considered.

The minister also ruled out fears that COVID vaccines could alter the DNA of recipients or their progeny.

Answering a question by Ludhiana MP Ravneet Bittu, Vardhan said vaccines are safe and the COVID vaccine adverse events following immunization rate in India is a meagre 0.00432 per cent.

“India made COVID vaccines fulfill all parameters of safety, efficacy and immunogenicity. There is absolutely no cause for fear or suspicion. Eligible people should register and take the shots,” said Vardhan as India’s daily new cases touched a new high nearing 40,000 cases.