Since a mass COVID vaccination drive will be similar to general elections, the Govt must consider using its strengths
Having conducted the Bihar Assembly elections in the middle of a raging pandemic while avoiding a superspreader event, the Election Commission (EC) and its machinery have acquired a depth of experience in getting crowds to keep to COVID-appropriate behaviour. And given its proven credentials in conducting the general elections, its architecture seems to be the most suitable for administering the vaccine in phases across the country. Apart from the immunisation drives for women and children, India has no precedent for an adult inoculation drive. So Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora is open to the prospect of offering assistance, if sought by the Government, in dosing the country over the first half of next year. Of course, the EC is not mandated to operate outside its core area of expertise but extraordinary times do call for extraordinary measures and its curated drills and logistical expertise can be relied upon to inoculate India’s heaving population. This needs to be done fast to break the chain of transmission, with experts predicting that given our population density, we could be subjected to unexpected waves of infection. Truth be told, there is not much of a difference in the vaccine administration process. There will be vaccination booths with COVID-safe protocols and social distancing in place. No more than 100 people will be allowed per session at each site. There will be a recovery enclosure where those given the shot will be watched for allergies over half an hour and attended to in case of an adverse reaction. This seamless mapping and mobilising staff and candidate flow are frankly the EC’s forte. While getting vaccinated for COVID-19 will be voluntary, the turnout is still expected to be huge given the disease burden and co-morbidities in a large part of our population. Besides the Health Ministry has advised that each citizen gets a complete schedule of the anti-Coronavirus vaccine irrespective of past history as this will help in developing a strong immune response against the disease. It also said that a protective level of antibodies generally develops two weeks after receiving the second dose. Currently, the EC has the wherewithal to manage such a graded response system.
With the Health Ministry planning to vaccinate 20-30 per cent of the population to reach a critical mass for herd immunity and Serum Insititute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla claiming that by September-October next year, there would be enough vaccines for everyone, everybody is getting drill ready. The challenges, of course, are many. One is to ready an effective awareness campaign on the virtues of the vaccine and counter the myths about its utility. This public service message needs to be rolled out right away. Then there are the logistics of the supply chain, the safety of the vials, avoidance of wastage and ensuring enough trained health workers to administer the vaccine and monitor its effects on the recipients. Also, a two-shot vaccination drive would mean double the effort. The delicacy of maintenance and administering doses requires a sophisticated and expensive infrastructure that even our cities will find difficult to mobilise. But the EC, used to guarding EVMs and deploying personnel according to the sensitivities concerned, can ensure that safety standards are maintained. The only question is that with the Assembly elections in Bengal and Tamil Nadu around the corner, how much of its resources can the EC spare?
