More than 12,000 doses of the vaccine have reached Ladakh of which around 4,000 have been earmarked for armed forces personnel to protect them from Covid-19, the officials said speaking on condition of anonymity.
Military doctors, paramedics and front-line soldiers
deployed in eastern Ladakh, where India and China are locked in a tense border
standoff, will be among the first set of armed forces personnel to be
vaccinated against the coronavirus disease, with India all set to kick off an
elaborate vaccination campaign on Saturday, officials familiar with the
development said on Friday. More than 12,000 doses of the vaccine have reached
Ladakh of which around 4,000 have been earmarked for armed forces personnel to
protect them from Covid-19, the officials said speaking on condition of
anonymity.
“Top priority is being given to military doctors and
medical staff who have been at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19.
Front-line soldiers have also been identified for vaccination,” the officials
said.
The armed forces have been able to keep a check on
the spread of the disease within its ranks by adhering to strict protocols,
even as army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane described the pandemic and the
situation on the northern borders as the main challenges the army confronted
last year.
Experts said it was critical to protect frontline
military personnel from the disease.
“It is absolutely critical to vaccinate the military
medical staff and front-line soldiers against Covid-19, given the crucial role
being discharged by them in harsh conditions. Others who are not directly part
of the military set up but play a key role in keeping the system in forward
areas up and running should also get the vaccine on priority,” said Lieutenant
General BK Chopra (retd), a former director general of the Armed Forces Medical
Services.
He said the armed forces would have prioritised the
list of personnel who have to be vaccinated ahead of others keeping their roles
and service conditions in mind. “I am sure all drills are in place to ensure
that people are vaccinated on priority according to the government’s
guidelines,” Chopra added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation
on January 16 to start Covid-19 vaccination in India. As many as 3,006
vaccination centres will be part of this drive.
The vaccination campaign, marking the final phase in
India’s long battle against the pandemic, will be held daily from 9am to 5pm,
barring the days earmarked for routine immunisation programme.
Officials involved in the preparations said that all
pallets of Serum Institute of India’s Covishield vaccines have reached all
state capitals and their distribution to the districts and blocks is on.
Similarly, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, a backup to Covishield, has also arrived
in some states.
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