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“The vaccination drive will be further accelerated... Whatever doses of vaccine are made available, we will ensure that they reach maximum beneficiaries. This will be done soon,” said Dr V K Paul, who heads the high-level national expert group on vaccination administration.

In the first of the two cases, Mahipal Singh, a 52-year-old who worked as a wardboy in a government hospital in Moradabad, died on Sunday, a day after he was vaccinated.

Top government sources said that during its review meetings with the states, the Centre has also highlighted two other states -- Punjab and Chhattisgarh – over their “poor coverage” in vaccinating its priority group.

On Sunday, only 553 sessions were conducted across the country, with 17,072 beneficiaries being vaccinated, the ministry said.

PM Modi urged people not to abandon masks, social distancing and hygiene precautions, saying they have to remain vigilant and their mantra must be “dawai bhi, kadai bhi” (get vaccinated, but take every precaution).

In phase one of the immunisation exercise, 3 crore people in the priority group of healthcare and frontline workers are to be vaccinated. On Saturday, 3,352 sessions were held, with the target of vaccinating at least 100 people each.

Detailed backend preparations up to the block level have gone into the immunisation drive, taking into account both the experience from India's Universal Immunisation Programme and the booth strategy during elections.

India Covid-19 vaccine rollout: The Prime Minister’s Office said Narendra Modi will address the sites, where over three crore priority groups will be vaccinated over the next few months, at 10.30 am

COVID-19 vaccine: The Health Ministry has communicated a fact-sheet about the two Covid-19 vaccines rolling out on Saturday. Here's all you need to know about exceptions, precautions and possible adverse events.

According to the Government’s blueprint, the vaccine will be offered first to healthcare workers, frontline workers and those above 50 years of age, followed by those below 50 with associated comorbidities.

The official said the state was told that all 8 lakh will receive their first dose.

As of Tuesday, 54.72 lakh doses of the two vaccines cleared for use by the national regulator had reached vaccine stores across the country, the government said.

PM Modi stressed on three critical aspects: ensuring data is uploaded in real time for effective monitoring of beneficiaries; curbing rumours and misinformation; and ensuring effective reporting of adverse events, if any, after vaccination.

Then over-50 and under-50 with co-morbidities; names to be taken from voter lists

Health ministers of Bihar, Odisha, and Telangana requested the Centre to include elected representatives from all levels in the vaccine priority population.

On Tuesday, the Union Health Ministry said it was prepared to start vaccinating priority groups within days, though the final decision rests with the Centre.

The decision on rolling out India’s biggest adult vaccination drive will, however, be taken by the central government, the Union Health Ministry.

COVID-19 vaccine: Unlike the Serum Institute of India's (SII) vaccine Covishield, Covaxin will be used only in 'clinical trial mode', where consent will be taken and side-effects monitored, the heads of AIIMS and ICMR, part of the National Covid-19 task force, told The Indian Express.

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The Minister said the government is still working on details of vaccinating the third priority group — persons above age 50, and persons below age 50 with associated comorbidities.

Sources told The Indian Express that during the first dry run, conducted in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, and Assam – in four districts each -- it emerged that pin codes from some villages were not mapped to the Co-Win platform, the flagship digital system that will track the vaccination programme.

Also on Wednesday, the Health Secretary wrote to all Chief Secretaries on the surge of cases being reported in Europe, and on the need to keep a strict vigil during New Year celebrations.

Police, in a report submitted to a Delhi court in August, said that Pracha “called” riot victim Irshad Ali, whose shop had been set on fire during the riots, and told him that Malik was “witness” to the incident and if he attached Malik’s complaint, it would make Ali’s case “stronger”.

However, experts cautioned that injudicious use of unproven therapies against Covid-19 puts “immune pressure” on the virus, which can lead to mutations.