COVID-19: Mayawati urges all political parties to make vaccination drive for 18+ successful

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday urged all political parties to come forward to make the COVID-19 vaccination programme for people above 18 year, which is starting from today, successful. "All the political parties and governments should come forward mutually to rise above politics and selfishness with full loyalty and honesty to make the vaccination program starting from today (May 1) in which people aged above 18-year will be eligible for taking the shot of the COVID-19 vaccine," the BSP Supremo tweeted.

She also asked big businessmen of the country to help Central and state governments financially in the vaccination programme. "The big businessmen and capitalists of the country must also participate in the vaccination program and help the Central and state governments with the same kind of generosity, as they provide financial help through electoral bonds," she said.

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"Simultaneously, to control the Covid infection in the country, the step of receiving medical aid from the foreign countries, which was taken by the Indian government after so many years by changing its policy and the countries providing help to India is admirable. This may make the situation bit better," Mayawati added.

India starts the vaccination drive for those in the 18-44 age bracket from today as the country continues to battle the second wave of COVID-19. The country had started the COVID-19 vaccination drive on January 16 with two vaccines -- Covishield (Oxford-AstraZeneca's vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India) and Covaxin (manufactured by Bharat Biotech Limited). The second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive to inoculate people above 60 years and those over 45 with comorbidities against the coronavirus began on March 1.

The third phase began on April 1 for all above 45 years of age.