COVID vaccine strategy - A sure recepie for failure
Let me cut short the pleasantries not so required introductions and jump straight to point. COVID-19 had its dream run in 2020 and the second wave in 2021 has made its 2020 run pale in comparison. India has a population of 135 cr out of which we need to vaccinate around 60-70% to ensure that the impact of the dreaded pandemic is subdued. Now that the vaccines are not tested or invented for children below 18 who constitute 40% of our population[ censusofindia ], we are left with little choice but to inoculate the entire eligible population. This number at official figures would be in tune of 80 Cr. at 2 vaccines per person, we are looking at 160cr or 1.6billion doses of vaccine. Add wastage at 5% or less to the number we are looking at around 170 cr or 1.7 billion doses. But where are so many doses? There is a parallel killer in the town. That killer is poverty. Everytime, we have a lockdown there is a bigger risk of people losing livelihood. The result is the ability of people to ...