NEWS  India plans to vaccinate 300 million people against COVID-19 over the next 6-7 months. The government plans to give priority to healthcare workers and other front­line workers, followed by everyone who is above 50 years of age. This means roughly 20% of the population will be vaccinated by July or August 2021.

CHALLENGES IN VACCINATION PROCESS

• Since all the vaccines that are currently in the spotlight require two doses, the government will have to acquire 600 million doses. Fortunately, Pune’s Serum Institute of India is the world’s largest producer of vaccines. There are reports that the government has already struck a deal with it to acquire 500 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
• Principle underlying the triage scheme adopted by the government for setting up the priorities for vaccine distribution needs improvement.
• Inclusion of private players in the vaccination process is another contentious issue.

WHAT SHOULD BE THE AIM OF ANY VACCINATION DRIVE?

• Provide protection to those vaccinated.
• Minimise or at least slow down the speed and spread of the viral transmission.

BASIS FOR GOVERNMENT’S PRIORITY LIST 

• The government’s strategy of giving priority to front-line workers and elderly people is in line with the practice being followed in the U.K. and the U.S. drive.
• The rationale for this is to protect those who are most likely to be infected in the future as well as those who are most vulnerable to the health consequences of the infection.
• The priority given to healthcare professionals satisfies both the conditions i.e. these are individuals who have high levels of exposure and they also act as active disease vectors since they interact with large numbers of people.

DRAWBACKS IN THE PRIORITY RATIONALE

The priority given to older people may not actually minimise the total social and economic cost inflicted by the virus in the long run. As elderly are less mobile, have a lower level of social interaction, and are hence less likely to spread the virus.

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE?

Instead, younger people who interact with a larger number of people are both more likely to be infected and subsequently infect others should receive more attention, for instance, the Dharavi slum — should receive far more attention than they are likely to get under the current strategy.

GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT STRATEGIES

• It seems to depend entirely on domestic sources. 
• It also plans to rely entirely on public resources for distribution without involving private hospitals.
• Also, the government plans to bear the entire cost of vaccination.

WHAT ELSE NEEDS TO BE DONE?

• In order to help the poor who cannot afford the vaccine, the government should continue to procure all available domestically produced vaccines and supply them through its own distribution channel.
• Government has to ensure that there is no reduction in the availability of the vaccine for the poor.
• Allowing private players in the process may lead to an increase in supply and hence less waiting time for the less affluent since some of the richer individuals in the target group will opt out of the government distribution system and prefer to get vaccinated at some private outlet.
• India with a huge market for vaccines, needs to exploit the bargaining power and grab the cost effective deal. This will ensure crucial health facilities accessible to all its citizens.

Reference:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/towards-an-effective-vaccination-distribution-policy/article33432157.ece