The Congress on Wednesday questioned the decision of the Modi Government to double the gap between the doses of the Covishield Covid-19 vaccine, asking whether it was prompted by a vaccine shortage.
The party also announced to launch a nationwide outreach programme to collect all the data pertaining to the pandemic, the affected families and losses incurred by the common man among others. Through the outreach programme, Congress aims to directly cover approximately three crore households in 30 days, as per an AICC press statement.
The Congress said India needs quick and complete vaccination and not the BJP’s “brand of lies and rhyming slogans” to cover up the vaccine shortage caused by the government’s inaction.
Congress leaders, including former party president Rahul Gandhi, said the government was trying to cover up a vaccine shortage. “India needs quick & complete vaccination,” Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet.
The Government had said that the gap within two shots of covishield was increased based on scientific evidence and that the issue had been discussed in detail by members of NTAGI as well as its working group on COVID-19.
Rahul alleged that the Government was trying to save the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attempts that are facilitating the virus and costing people’s lives. Rahul had earlier also accused the Centre of hiding actual figures of Covid-19 deaths in the country.
He also tagged a media report that the government doubled the gap between the two doses of Covishield without the agreement of the scientific group that it claimed had recommended the increase.
As for the nationwide outreach campaign, it aimed engaging party cadres from Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) to the Panchayat level and establishing contact with target groups in urban, semi-urban and rural areas.
Local leaders will organise visits of senior leaders to the households of the Covid-affected families and help in disseminating information regarding health issues and post-Covid care.