Biocon chief likens COVID vaccination situation in India to arranged marriage

Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has compared the COVID-19 vaccination situation in the country to an arranged marriage. Mazumdar-Shaw, the executive chairperson of biotechnology major Biocon, in a lighter vein compared the two while bringing out the confusion that currently prevails regarding the entire vaccination process.

“The vaccine situation in India is like arranged marriage. First u r not ready, then u don’t like any, then u don’t get any!! Those who got are unhappy thinking may be the other one would have been better. Those who did not get any are willing to get any one,” Mazumdar-Shaw tweeted on Saturday.

Earlier this week, Mazumdar-Shaw had expressed concern over shortage of COVID-19 vaccines and sought better transparency from the government regarding their availability so that citizens could patiently wait for their turn.

“Very concerned about why vaccines are in such short supply. Can we please know where the 70 million doses are being deployed every month? @MoHFW_INDIA We need better transparency to avoid the suspense. If a timetable of supplies is made public people can patiently wait their turn,’ Mazumdar-Shaw had tweeted while tagging the Health Ministry.

India has announced expansion of its COVID-19 vaccination drive by allowing its large population aged over 18 to get inoculated from May 1. Various states including Delhi, have complained about lack of vaccines and questioned the Centre’s policy in dealing with the situation. While the vaccine manufacturers continue to produce and dispatch lots, there remains a huge gap between demand and supply of the critical medication.

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As per Health Ministry data, the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 18 crore mark. The ministry said 42,58,756 beneficiaries in the 18-45 age group have taken the first dose since the start of phase-3 of the vaccination drive against COVID-19 with 3,28,216 beneficiaries receiving their first dose in the last 24 hours.

In the 45-60 age group, 5,68,05,772 people have received their first dose while 87,56,313 beneficiaries have got their second dose, and among beneficiaries above 60 years of age, 5,43,17,646 have got their first dose while 1,75,53,918 have taken their second dose.