Tehseen Poonawalla moves SC seeking COVID-19 vaccination for all

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court requesting it to ask the Centre to open up vaccinations for all including citizens under the age of 45 in the wake of increasing Covid19 cases in the countryTehseen Poonawalla filing the PIL urged the top court to direct the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Government of India to make effective changes in its policy to ensure vaccination for COVID19 to all citizens of the countryIt is surprising why the central government did not allow more people to be vaccinated despite India being the vaccine manufacturer of the world the plea saidIt said this arbitrary bar on the age groups coupled with the sudden rise in the number of infections due to Covid19 disease necessitates immediate steps to be taken to ensure that vaccination is not only available to persons aged above 45 years but to all persons below the age of 45years who are employed in work that requires them to go outside every day as well as all persons with any of the comorbid conditions as vulnerable groupsThe bar on availability of approved vaccines to persons below the age of 45 years despite having comorbid conditions is arbitrary unreasonable and ultra vires Article 21 the plea addedThe petition has been preferred in the public interest challenging the arbitrary bar on vaccination for the novel coronavirus disease or COVID19 disease only to prioritized age groups above 45 years of age while there has been an evidently steep increase in the cases of COVID19 disease in the country with the daily rise in cases being that of approximately 131 lakh new cases on 09042021 itself presenting the country with an evident and everincreasing need to allow vaccination for COVID19 to all age groups and especially to all persons with comorbidities such as respiratory illnesses and terminal illness who despite being vulnerable to COVID19 have not been given the option to be protected by the vaccine the plea addedThe Drugs Controller General of India on January 3 2021 had approved the use of 2 vaccines for immunization against the COVID19 disease ie COVAXIN produced by Bharat Biotech Intl Ltd and COVISHIELD produced by Serum Institute of India Ltd while other vaccines are also pending authorization for immunization it addedThe plea further stated both the vaccines have been found to be effective against COVID19 disease and may provide adequate protection from the disease on successful administration of two doses of the vaccinesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever