CPI (M) raises concern over COVID vaccine dry runs, calls for mass vaccination plan

CPI(M) on Friday expressed concern over the way the coronavirus vaccine dry runs are being conducted in the country and said a mass vaccination programme is needed to meet the health challenge. India is preparing for the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and the second nationwide mock drill was conducted on Friday.

India's drug regulator has approved Oxford vaccine Covishield, being manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country.

''A mass vaccination programme is urgently needed to meet this perilous health challenge. Vaccine nationalism will heap further miseries on already agonised people. PM Modi must be stopped from negating scientific & safety concerns,'' said CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury in a tweet. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with chief ministers of all states on January 11 to discuss the COVID-19 situation and the vaccination rollout in the country, his office said on Friday.

This will be Modi's first interaction with chief ministers following the recent approval of two coronavirus vaccines for restricted emergency use by India's drug regulator.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)