KCR says Telangana ready to administer COVID-19 vaccine

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a video conference with all the Chief Ministers on Tuesday to discuss the distribution and administering of the COVID-19 vaccine to the people. KCR expressed the Telangana government's stand during the video conference.

"People are eagerly waiting for the vaccine. A scientifically-approved vaccine is the need of the hour. The Telangana government is ready to distribute and administer the vaccine to the people on a priority basis. Accordingly, we have drawn an action plan. However, one has to take into consideration whether the vaccine has any side-effects."

Various regions of the country have different weather and climatic conditions and the novel coronavirus also did not affect the country in a uniform manner, KCR said, adding, "The vaccine, too, may have different side effects in different regions. Hence, initially send a batch of vaccine to the states so that they can be administered to some people. Let us assess the situation after administering the vaccine and then administer it to the rest."

After the video conference with Mr. Modi, KCR held a meeting with officials and instructed them to prepare an action plan to administer the vaccine in the state and create the required infrastructure facilities. He also instructed the officials to put in place a cold chain across Telangana and form committees at the state, district, and mandal level to conduct the vaccination programme. He said the vaccine should be given first to COVID warriors and frontline workers like the police and other departments, people above 60 years, and people suffering from acute diseases. A list in this regard should be prepared, ordered the CM.