India will vaccinate all by December 2021-Javadekar

Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday said that India will vaccinate all of its citizens against the coronavirus disease by December 2021 while addressing a press conference in New Delhi,  Javadekar said that by December, 216 crore doses of vaccine doses will be ready which means that 108 crore people will be able to get their jabs. Javadekar also said that the Covid-19 vaccination programme is robust and will successfully vaccinate every citizen. He lashed out the Congress MP Rahul Gandhi  who pointed out that less than three per cent of the country's 130 crore people had received both doses.

Javadekar drew Rahul Gandhi's attention to a Union Health Ministry "blueprint" that, he said, would ensure the vaccination of 108 crore people by December, and reminded him "India is the second-fastest in vaccinating its people"; over 20 crore doses have been administered so far. "Rahul ji..if you're concerned about vaccination then pay attention to Congress ruled states... there is a mess. They are not taking the quota given to them for 18-44 year old beneficiaries from May 1," Javadekar said. The Union Minister also hit out at  Gandhi and his party colleagues for questioning Covaxin - the vaccine developed and manufactured by Bharat Biotech. Covaxin was approved in January but there were questions marks over its safety and efficacy, after it was passed without key trial data.

Earliar, Rahul Gandhi during his press conference criticised the Centre and claimed that the current rate of vaccination will further lead to multiple waves of Covid-19 while also claiming that at the current pace India will be able to vaccinate all by May 2024.