Responsive and agile vaccination strategies against COVID-19 in India

Abstract

As of June, 2021, India is facing an overwhelming second wave of COVID-19. In the worst affected states, including Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, health-care resources are experiencing far greater strain than in the first wave of infection, which peaked in September, 2020. However, a crucial difference between then and now is the availability of at least two licensed vaccines domestically produced in India, ChAdOx1 nCoV-191 and BBV152.2 Until recently, and like many other countries, India's strategy for deployment of these vaccines had focused primarily on those most at risk of severe disease and mortality from COVID-19.3 Following coverage of key workers such as health-care personnel, vaccination was at first prioritised for people aged older than 60 years, with eligibility gradually widening in subsequent months. As of May, 2021, as one of the several measures to mitigate the ongoing second wave in the country, vaccine eligibility has been expanded to include all people aged 18 years or older.