|THE DEN|
Delhi and Mumbai, the most prominent cities in India, have repeatedly halted the inoculation process due to the shortage of the jabs. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal says at this rate of
vaccination, Delhi will take about 30 months to inoculate the city’s population. With a 6 month expected vaccination validity, it will become a continuous process lasting forever.
The Chief Minster also gave a 24 hour task sheet to Prime Minster Narendar Modi, “The Centre should allow all approved foreign vaccines in the country within 24 hours and should hold talks with them. At present, states are negotiating with them. Does this look good? Maharashtra is fighting with Haryana and Delhi is fighting with Maharashtra on the international stage. Vaccine producers will take the Centre very seriously and our government can also talk to their governments directly. The size of the order will also be bigger then”. The Centre did not comment with a response.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also lashed out on Centre
“We contacted Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer and they said they are in touch with the Government of India and will not give vaccines to the states. The Centre has asked us to place global tenders but it is also talking to these companies separately. When they asked us to buy from manufacturers in India, we placed orders but the supply is being regulated by the Centre. The Centre puts curbs on how much we can get from private companies. The international manufacturers are saying they are talking to the Centre only. I ask the Centre to show some seriousness since this is a very serious disease”.
“Government of India kept sleeping, and is sleeping even now” - Delhi Deputy Chief Minster Manish Sisodia
“America gave approval to Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson in December last year. The Centre has not given approval to any of these yet. Other countries have not only given approval but are also using them. What is the compulsion in India ? We are dependent on two companies, and even they are exporting doses. Russia gave approval to Sputnik V in August 2020 and started vaccinating in December. We refused to give approval in 2020 and finally did so in April this year. 68 counties have given approval and are using Sputnik V. UK gave approval to Pfizer in December, We are still sleeping. 85 countries have given the approval to use Pfizer, 46 have given it to Moderna and 41 to Johnson & Johnson. We are still sleeping. Is this a joke? You are saying buy vaccines globally, but there is no approval.”
“Across the world, countries kept an eye on vaccine development. They placed advanced procurement orders. By November 2020, US and EU gave orders for 70 crore vaccines. They have enough vaccines for their residents. By January the UK had placed orders for enough vaccines for 70% of its population. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Serum Institute of
India last year but did not invest in them or place orders. Only after April did this happen. The US started investing in March, 2020. Government of India kept sleeping, and is sleeping even now.”
BMC’s Satire
"Dear Mumbaikars. There will be no vaccination at any of the centres tomorrow. Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday. The details for Monday will be shared tomorrow by this handle & the respective wards too”.
Amid perplexity, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation later clarified that it is not on account of Sunday, but the vaccine shortage. In Pune too, vaccine centres were shut due to shortage of vaccines. The centre did not comment on the issue.
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