How will the COVID-19 vaccine reach every Indian?

A day after Pfizer, a US-based pharmaceutical company, developed a vaccine to combat coronavirus in collaboration with German firm BioNTech, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asked the government to define a vaccine distribution strategy to ensure that every Indian gets the COVID-19 vaccine.

Gandhi’s reaction came after central government said that it is in talks with all vaccine manufacturers, including domestic and foreign manufacturers.

Extreme low temperature of minus 70 degrees Celsius required for storing a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer poses a big challenge for its delivery in India, especially in its smaller towns and rural areas where it is not easy to maintain such cold chain facilities.

Mr. Gandhi pointed out that no cold chain logistic company in India has the capability to transport the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19 to India.

Rahul Gandhi, who has been vocal about the COVID-19 crisis and has criticised the Centre over-testing, imposition of lockdowns, migrant exodus, took to his Twitter handle and wrote:

“Even though Pfizer has created a promising vaccine, the logistics for making it available to every Indian need to be worked out. GOI has to define a vaccine distribution strategy and how it will reach every Indian.”

COVID-19 cases are surging again in India. Country’s Covid-19 total tally surged to 87,28,795 with 44,878 new infections reported in the last 24-hour. 547 fresh fatalities pushed the coronavirus deaths in the country to 1,28,688.