Injecting Confidence
India must ensure appraisal (मूल्याकंन; an examination of the value, condition, qualities, etc. of something) of the prowess (कौशल; great ability or skill) of the vaccines is disseminated (फैलाना/प्रसारित करना; to spread or give out something, especially news, information, ideas, etc., to a lot of people) widely
India began the largest vaccination drive in its history with over 2 lakh people vaccinated across the country in 3,350 sessions on the first day. Covishield manufactured at the Serum Institute of India was available in all States whereas only 12 States had vaccination sites where Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin was administered.
In the first tranche (पहली खेप/पहला वितरण; one of the parts into which a particular financial arrangement, investment, etc. is divided) of vaccines, there are 11 million doses of Covishield and 5.5 million of Covaxin that will be administered to healthcare workers, sanitation workers and municipal workers in the coming days. The first day of the vaccine programme, inaugurated (उद्घाटन करना; to put something or someone into use or action officially) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, included ceremonial inoculations (औपचारिक टीका; something such as an injection that is given in a formal or traditional way) across the country.
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It is significant that India has not lagged (पीछे रह जाना; to move or make progress so slowly that you are behind others) behind any other country in ensuring that frontline (सीमावर्ती; who deals directly with customers) personnel (कर्मचारी; the people who are employed in a company or one of the armed forces) stand to get vaccinated. It is only a year since the first reports of the novel coronavirus pandemic approaching India surfaced and that just 12 subsequent months of uncertainty, tragedy (दुःखद घटना; a very sad event or situation, especially one involving death or suffering) and upheaval (उथल पुथल/खलबली; a great change, especially causing or involving much difficulty or trouble) have resulted in promising vaccines with the potential to save many lives and spark hope and optimism (आशावाद; a belief that something good will happen) in millions. This is a commendable (प्रशंसनीय/सराहनीय; deserving praise) achievement.
However, one cannot lose sight of (भूलना/आँखों से ओझल होना; to not consider something, esp. because you have forgotten about it) the fact that this is a marathon (लम्बी दौड़; an activity that takes a long time and makes you very tired). The optimism of day one has almost no bearing on the days that lie ahead. India’s immediate plan, as has been announced, is to inoculate (टीका लगाना; to give a person or animal a vaccine) 3 crore frontline health workers, and later 27 crore of those most vulnerable (कमज़ोर/असुरक्षित; able to be easily hurt, influenced, or attacked) to the disease by July. A lot is expected to change even before this deadline.
Establishing the efficacy (क्षमता/प्रभाविता; the quality of being
effective; effectiveness) based
on final analysis of phase3 trials and full licensure (लाइसेंस देने की क्रिया; the granting of a licence, especially to carry out a trade or
profession) may take months. Till then, it is rational (तर्क संगत; showing clear thought or
reason)
and scientific on the part of anyone to choose or decline a vaccine on the
basis of whether the potential risks outweigh
(महत्वपूर्ण साबित होना; to be greater or more
important than something else) the benefits.
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Given India’s experience with childhood immunisation and administering millions of doses in extremely diverse geographical conditions, there is reasonable confidence that the country has the executive ability to scale up (बढ़ाना; to increase the size, amount, or importance of something, usually an organization or process) vaccination.
The approval of the vaccines earlier this month has seen divisions among scientists and doctors themselves on the sagacity (बुद्धिमत्ता; the quality of having or showing understanding and the ability to make good judgments) of the government promoting both Covishield and Covaxin as being equivalent to one another. They are not. Covaxin is being administered as part of a clinical trial and its efficacy is not established. All the vaccines on offer in the United States or the United Kingdom have some — insufficient, nonetheless (फिर भी/तब भी; despite what has just been said or done) — efficacy data and therefore inspire greater confidence. Rather than dismiss concerns as ‘rumour mongering (अफवाह फैलाना; spreading rumours)’ and ‘politically motivated’, the government has to work doubly hard to ensure that an honest appraisal of the vaccine’s prowess is rapidly disseminated.
Those lining up for shots are adults — and a significant fraction of them far more medically literate than the average Indian — and all arms of government must treat them so. It is their experience that will percolate (प्रसारित हो जाना; to spread slowly) and influence adoption of the vaccines among the larger population.
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