No decision yet on vaccinating people above 45 yrs

New Delhi: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday clarified that the Central government is not looking at opening up vaccination for people above 45 without comorbidities yet.

Earlier in the day, six States had urged the government that all persons above the age of 45 should be vaccinated.

The proposal was made during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's virtual meeting with the Chief Ministers to review the Covid situation in the country. The meeting was called over growing cases of Covid-19 and the ongoing vaccination drive.

With the ongoing vaccination programme for Covid-19 witnessing a lukewarm response among beneficiaries, various States urged the Centre to open vaccination for beneficiaries in the age group of 45-59 with no comorbidities by April-end.

At present, the mass immunisation programme is going on for healthcare workers, frontline workers, people above 60 years and those between 45 and 59 years with comorbidities.

"The States will have to individually plan out steps to amplify the vaccination drive. The next phase will include people between 45 and 59 years having no comorbidities and it may start by April-end. But before that, we have to complete the existing groups. While making it open for the general population, we will also have to ensure that the priority groups are covered," said Dr Suneela Garg, member of the Covid-19 Task Force of Lancet Commission.