Believe in science, shed Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy: PM Modi
“Through the year, many senior scientists have worked and that is why we have to believe in science, believe in scientists. And (people) should explain to these propagators of falsehood that... it is not so, so many people have taken the vaccine, nothing untoward happens,” the PM said in the 78th edition of his Mann Ki Baat radio address.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday encouraged people to overcome vaccine hesitancy and dispel rumours about India’s coronavirus inoculation drive, urging them to “believe in science” and scientists who toiled to develop the life-saving shots in the year of the pandemic.
“Through the year, many senior scientists have worked and that is why we have to believe in science, believe in scientists. And (people) should explain to these propagators of falsehood that... it is not so, so many people have taken the vaccine, nothing untoward happens,” the PM said in the 78th edition of his Mann Ki Baat radio address.
The PM cited his own example and that of his mother, who he said was nearly 100 years old, to say that both of them have taken the shots, appealing to people not to pay heed to any rumours about the safety of the vaccines against Covid-19.
“I have myself been vaccinated with both doses... And my mother is close to a hundred years of age… she too has taken both doses. At times, some people develop fever but it’s very minor, just for a few hours… not getting vaccinated can prove dangerous,” Modi said.
In his monthly address, he also lauded the progress of India’s vaccination drive and said the country has achieved many “extraordinary milestones” in the fight against the pandemic.
“Just a few days ago, our country accomplished an unprecedented feat. On the 21st of June, the next phase of the vaccination campaign commenced… and that very day, the country registered a record of administering vaccines to over 86 lakh people, free of cost… that too on a single day! Such a huge number of free vaccinations by the Government of India,” he said.
The Prime Minister made the statements at a time India has recorded its best week of vaccination figures since June 21, when the central government said it will take charge of supplying jabs free of cost instead of putting the procurement burden on state governments. Since then, the country has administered an average of over six million doses per day.
However, this recent spike in vaccinations comes on the back of a month of slowdown, which saw fewer jabs administered daily and concerns raised by several state governments over the supply of shots.
Experts, too, say that the pace of India’s immunisation drive still needs to pick up, because even at this rate (of six millions jabs per day), it would take India until February 2022 to vaccinate its entire adult population.
Modi also cautioned against complacency and the notion that the pandemic has been defeated, underscoring the need to maintain Covid-appropriate behaviour and getting the jab.
“We have to save lives…If someone says corona is gone, do not be under this mistaken notion... This ailment is like a master of disguise. It keeps changing its looks… surfaces in myriad new forms and colours. And to protect ourselves from it, we have two ways. One is adhering to the protocol for corona – wearing a mask, frequently washing hands with soap, maintaining distancing… and the other way is …along with all this, getting vaccinated,” he said.
The PM was apparently referring to the second wave of infections that debilitated the health care infrastructure of several states in the country, including national capital New Delhi, between March and May this year. Scientists say the lack of social distancing and adherence to Covid hygiene, and the spread of a more transmissible virus variant are likely to have contributed to the sudden surge in cases in the country.
PM Modi on Sunday said that the country will mark the National Day of Doctors on July 1, and it “is our duty to thank them with an equal measure of affection and encourage them”.
Separately, the Prime Minister spoke about the upcoming Tokyo Olympics and advised people not to “pressure” the athletes and the sportspersons who have all had their “own share of struggle and years of toil”.
“They are going not only for themselves but for the country... I want to advise you too, that we should not pressure these players knowingly or unknowingly, but support them with an open mind and bolster the enthusiasm of every player,” he said. The Olympic Games begin on July 23.
